Of Frozen Bitterness
by EMPG22HoPe
Summary: Afraid to near Anna's frozen state, Elsa was not able to perform the act of true love. The only person that made Anna suffer can be the key to unfreezing Anna. Elsa is reluctant and yet, she's willing to save her sister, even if it meant falling bitterly for the man that almost killed her sister. Is Hans an enemy or simply just a broken prince who lacks his own act of true love?
1. What If

**Of Frozen Bitterness**

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**Chapter 1: What If**

**AN: **This is basically my very first Frozen fanfic, and I hope the only _partially_ OOC here is Hans, because this idea just popped out of my head the moment I got out of the movie theater after watching. Hopefully, his "cruel" and "sadistic" side will develop upon wanting to be with Elsa. This will be a tri-chapter story. Hopefully, you'll be able to enjoy this rather _bitter _idea because it's the best way to portray this pair. (I ship them so badly that it hurts, that's why I wrote this.)

_PS. Best viewed in 3/4 screen option on the website itself._

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"Anna was a wonderful person. Her life was full of adventures and delight - one of which I have never seen in someone before. Of all the people I've ever met, she was the only person that brought a hint of light into my life... and everyone's lives." came the broken voice of Kristoff as he wiped the tears off his eyes with his arm, not caring if it was informal.

The tears that were threatening to slip down Elsa's cheeks were going back in forth, debating whether or not to show emotion or hide a facade. It had been that way ever since the royal servants had opened the doors to the palace again to mourn the death... no, _frozen _state of their beloved Princess. Elsa promised not to cry, because deep down she knew that's what Anna would have wanted.

All of this wouldn't have happened if she hadn't started making that ice palace of hers. By then, Anna wouldn't have come looking for her. If she hadn't just showed the kingdom what she really was, Anna wouldn't have come out into the cold winter. Actually, if she hadn't let the gates open, none of it would have happened. Wasn't it always that way? Funerals often give people the _If I/we hadn't's _and regrets. But none of those what if's could bring back Anna. Not even the great troll, Pabbie, knew how to unfreeze her now at this state since Anna missed the "act of true love", which was supposed to come from...

Suddenly, there were murmurs as a new visitor entered the grand hall. Elsa turned and immediately, her blood boiled. The boiling of her blood was at a peak like Mount Everest and was much higher than the heavens above. Of all the people to come to Anna's funeral... _Anna's _funeral, it had to be _him._

Without missing a beat, Elsa rose from her seat and began to march gracefully towards the new guest. He had the same auburn hair, only less classy than it was on the first unusual meet and the same cheery green eyes; yet this time they were cold and distant. Once he looked up and saw her approaching, he froze, like Elsa had struck him with her powers.

Elsa's face remained stoic as she faced Hans of the Southern Isles. She crossed her arms on her chest as she greeted chillingly, "Welcome, Prince Hans."

"Your highness." Hans bowed stiffly. "My... condolences."

"Save your pities, Hans." Elsa whispered rather fiercely as she looked around, checking if anyone was listening. Fortunately, all of them were listening to Kristoff's heartwarming Eulogy. Without another word, she gripped Hans's wrist and dragged him outside the grand hall. The guards that were guarding the large doors looked surprised upon seeing their Queen's actions, but they opened the doors for her and Hans anyway.

As soon as the doors were closed, Elsa quickly recoiled from Hans in anger. "I thought you were her true love!"

This time, she was practically yelling. She didn't care how loud she was because the grand hall was sound proof. Hans was slightly taken aback by Elsa's outburst, but he managed to collect himself.

He replied in the calmest and most endearing way possible. "If I had known..."

"No!" Elsa snapped. "You don't think I know what really happened, Hans? Olaf told me that you _left _her there. Trust me, he saw Anna suffer. If he hadn't unlocked the door to the room which you trapped her, I wouldn't have seen her. She would have been dead before I even knew! Why? Why didn't you kiss her?" Elsa's eyes were wide with horror and a mixture of sheer anger as she pushed Hans away with both hands. "Why?"

"Because, Elsa..." His voice raised at _because _and lowered at _Elsa. _Hans ran his hand through his auburn hair in frustration. "I am not her true love."

"Oh, that's just perfect!" Elsa threw her hands up in exaggeration. "So you just happened to have met, then you propose to her and now a month passes and she's dead... no, _frozen _and now you're saying she's not your true love? What on earth is wrong with you? Were you just playing with her heart? Were you?"

"Elsa..." Hans trailed off and he looked like he wanted to say more, but Elsa had cut him off.

"It's _Queen _Elsa to you, _Prince._" Elsa spat rather bitterly.

"Elsa, please!" Hans grabbed both of her shoulders carefully, as if to stop her from interrupting him. "You must know that I was blinded by passion the moment I wanted to marry her. We both know who her true love is, and that would be the man speaking inside that hall with his Eulogy for Anna. I didn't mean to hurt her, you know that."

"You could have brought her out to Kristoff if you thought _he _was her true love!" Elsa tried to push Hans' hands off her shoulders, but his grip was firm, thus making it almost impossible to remove it. Unless, of course, she bites his arm. "You lack incentive, Prince. You'd be locked up by now, but then again, they see me as the Queen who killed her own sister. So you're lucky you're not rotting in an Arendelle dungeon. Did I mention how nasty it is inside there? Wait, you'd know. You locked me in one!"

"You said you knew I wasn't her true love. Why didn't you stop it?" Hans back fired.

"Why didn't I... why didn't _I _stop it? I was all out _against _you marrying her! Look, this isn't about who didn't marry who. This is about you not saving her in time. If you were a decent person, you wouldn't have locked her in. She's _gone _because of you."

"She's _gone _because of _you_, Elsa. You froze her. If you had just gave up and went back to Arendelle-"

"Don't you turn this around me! I know my mistakes, but I know I've seen a greater mistake in you. Had you no decency? All you had to do was... help her."

All of her anger protruded to one conclusion: sadness. It almost seemed so easy. Yelling and throwing words at Hans like it was just a game of catch-the-ball. Then all of a sudden, it just didn't feel right to get mad at... anyone or anything. Her father had taught her that great power comes with great responsibility. If anyone should be mad at anyone, it should be at her.

Elsa felt Hans' grip loosen. He must have sensed her voice weakening, but she didn't care. She took this opportunity to turn around. In that moment of pure anger grew a sense of weakness. Everything felt numb from head to toe as the tears now began to slip off her cheeks, and inevitably, the loud chokes and sobs began to resound throughout the hallway.

As she wrapped her arms around herself, she felt a warm hand land on her shoulder. Elsa turned in surprise and wiped her tears immediately, knowing that Hans was seeing her at her weakest. She pushed his hand away before shaking her head in dismay. "You can go now..."

"Elsa..." Hans said warmly and with a sense of empathy. "There's only one thing to do to unfreeze Anna. You might want to ask the, uh... troll."

"I don't believe a word you say. Now, just... _go._" Elsa's voice broke as she closed her eyes to keep herself from looking absolutely helpless in front of Hans. If there was one person she shouldn't be looking like a mule, it's Hans. The man was known for great strength and with his actions towards Anna, proves that he can be a cruel and cold-hearted person despite everything.

"Just so you know..." Hans said. "I locked her there for one purpose."

Elsa sniffed. "And what purpose would that be?"

There was a small silence between them before Hans neared Elsa and whispered ever so quietly like the wind.

"To be with you."

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_To be continued..._

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**AN: **Ugh, I'm horrible with cliffhangers. But let me know what you think of it so far and your theories as to what you think what will happen next. Review as you please. Suggestions and motivational pushes (I like the pushes that are humorously threatening) would be much appreciated. Thank you for reading. Stay tuned for the next chapter that's bound to come out within this week or so.


	2. What Then

**Of Frozen Bitterness**

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**Chapter 2: What Then**

**AN: **As promised, an update! I'm glad to have received reviews and don't worry - I don't plan on abandoning this story. Also, I would like to credit _disneysfrozenguy_ for the amazing fan art of Elsa and Hans that is my cover photo for this fanfic. Thank you for letting me know through the reviews.

And guess what. This fanfic might have _five chapters _at the very most. Forget the tri-chapter. I'll be needing more room for Elsa and Hans' relationship. So, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter.

_PS. Best viewed in 3/4 screen option on the website itself._

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Elsa wasn't sure whether it was a notion of dominating Arendelle or love that Hans told her. But either way it, it made her irk and falter at the same time. She doesn't really know who or what Hans is like. According to Anna, he was vibrant and fit for a King. But as soon as she found out that he lied about Anna dying and that he had let the "act of true love" slip off like it was nothing - Elsa had everything on who Hans really is. He's a sadistic bastard who cares only about himself and he only desires to take over Arendelle.

There was no way in any heaping hell was she going to let him get close to taking over _her _Arendelle.

"Hans..." She trailed off stiffly before balling her hands into fists. The frost was beginning to settle, so cold that it made chills run down her spine. "I'm sorry you have to go through this, but..."

"But?" Hans prompted.

It looked as if it was a flurry of quick movements. As Elsa waved her hand before Hans, he was immediately thrown out of the open window just behind them. She ran over to the window and looked down at the damage she's done. Apparently, Hans had landed on a pile of snow and was already shaking underneath the cold. He looked up with window with his smoldering face and Elsa rolled her eyes at it.

"So how's the snow?" Elsa asks in mock delight.

Hans wrapped his arms around himself as he tries to get up from the snow. "Pretty cold. A lot like you, I should say!"

Elsa put a hand on her chest, looking as if it was a compliment. She smiled devilishly at him as she yelled, "Thank you! Now don't come back with you and your... whatever you just told me while you were still... _not _freezing."

"But I meant it!" Hans almost sounded like he was whining, which almost made Elsa smile. _Almost._

With another wave of her hand, she let the window close as she headed back towards the grand hall. Only very limited people attended the said funeral. There were other royals from different kingdoms, the palace's helpers, the maids and the staff and care takers that have helped her and Anna grow into the person they are now the moment she and her sister found out that their parents had died.

Earlier that very winter morning, the Duke of Weselton arrived. Elsa didn't know what idiot had allowed him in, but he was fortunate not to have been thrown out the window like Hans was. He was the first person to call her a _monster_, which had caused her to run away and make her own ice palace. The thought of it was too repulsive, that she had to send guards to escort the duke out of the palace whilst being tempted to freeze him.

As she stares at Anna's frozen state, she can see most of the staff crying, sniffing and wiping off their tears. Elsa was very much tempted to shed her tears as well, but she had done that already far too many times... just not to the point of touching Anna. It was her fault that her sister is dead. She wasn't even sure how these people inside the grand hall still trust her, even if the entire kingdom finds her a monster thanks to her showcase of powers during her coronation night and the Duke of Weselton's accusations to create an uprising against her. But then again, her parents limited the amount of people to work in the palace and they've all seen what Elsa can do. Perhaps only the closest of people can understand her. And now, the only person that truly understood her was gone... all thanks to her stupid powers.

Elsa's musings were distracted by someone pulling at the bottom of her black dress. When she looked down, she almost jumped in surprise to see Pabbie, the elderly troll and two other trolls with him.

"I'm sorry to come in a state like this, your highness." Pabbie said as the two other trolls bowed in respect.

"It's alright, Pabbie. Anna would have appreciated you coming." Elsa said as she nodded towards her sister.

A small silence went between them as they stared mournfully at Anna.

"There really is... no other way?" Elsa asked, hopefully but her reaction was so stoic, you'd think she was a talking monument.

"Such power is limited." Pabbie nodded. "However..."

Elsa's attention ran a muck as she looked down at Pabbie. "However?"

"There is another process. Although this may require a lot of steps. One of which I'm not sure if you'd want to do or not."

"Pabbie, I'd do anything for Anna. You know that. Please, Pabbie. I _need _to know."

"Even if it requires your heart?"

"I would do it whole heartedly."

Pabbie looked around the grand hall and prompted Elsa to follow him towards the garden. As they exit, Olaf the Snowman tailed behind them. The cold atmosphere hit her like it was just something she'd normally meet. They walk down the snowy cobblestone pathway that lead to the fountain. Elsa still felt absolutely guilty that she couldn't remove the winter in the middle of summer. Ever since her panic attack, she hadn't realized that she had set the entire kingdom into an everlasting winter. It just made her feel a lot more like a monster than she already does.

Elsa saw Olaf following them, so she took his twig hand and pulled him alongside her. Olaf smiled at Elsa sadly as they followed the troll deeper into the garden.

"Have you ever been in love with a man, your highness?" Pabbie asked as he turned to start walking backwards. His two companions continued to walk normally.

"Oh, that's awesome. Let me try that!" Olaf said delightfully as he began to copy what Pabbie was doing.

"In love?" Elsa asked as she looked at her left side, pondering at the thought. She spent her whole life trapped in her room for the sake of keeping Anna safe. How on earth is it even remotely possible for her to fall in love? It's not like she trapped herself there only to have secret meetings with her secret Romeo (which she didn't have). "I've been in hiding for as many years as I can remember. It's impossible for me to find a person to fall in love with."

"Which will make this a very difficult process to go through." Pabbie warns. "I need your word, Elsa. As soon as you agree right now, there is no turning back."

"Am I not allowed to know about this difficult process of yours before I give you my full verification?" Elsa asks, suddenly worried of the event that she would face upon agreeing.

"Whether or not you know, it'd be easier to see how determined you are to unfreeze your sister by letting you agree with the said process. Don't you fret, your majesty. This will not require any extreme measures, but it may require something that you rather... despise."

Elsa thought long and hard as she walked around the garden with the Trolls and Olaf who was stumbling every now and then from walking backwards. It was obvious how much she loves her sister and darn right, would do anything to unfreeze her. But the real question is that; why was she hesitating? Was it because of how gravely or dangerously Pabbie sounded while talking about the other process or was she just scared that she might lose Anna even more if she agrees to this.

But the Trolls, especially Pabbie the elderly troll had saved Anna before. Most definitely, he can be trusted on this one. Elsa just wasn't sure how well she was going to handle it once she...

"I'll do it."

Pabbie nodded as he stopped walking backwards. When Olaf saw that Pabbie had stopped, he stumbled back and groaned.

"As you can see, your highness. _Any _act of true love may acquire Anna's thaw. This isn't some typical love story where the _act of true love _must come from the partner of the victim. By partner, I mean love interest." Pabbie explained. "Quite frankly, Kristoff and Olaf's perception of _true love _is simply just that... through the person that Anna is in love with. But we all know from that moment that Hans isn't Anna's true love."

"Must you make mention of his name." Elsa murmured under her breath as she cooled herself down. "Please go on."

"Your highness, _you _are the key to Anna's thaw. You are the only person that can perform the act of true love, since you were the one who froze her. But in order for you to thaw Anna, you will need a very crucial requirement."

"And that would be?"

"In order for you to perform the act of true love, you must... How should I put this? Find your _own _act of true love. If such has coursed through you, that's the only time that you can unfreeze Anna."

"Pardon?"

"Oh, oh, I know!" Olaf raised his twig-like hand as he neared Elsa. "Elsa, you need to fall in love so that you can save Anna!"

Pabbie nodded. "The snowman is right."

"F-fall in love?" Elsa asked, confused. The word was very alien to her. She, the ice cold Queen of Arendelle, fall in love? It would take a martyr just to see that happen. "With who?"

"Someone who lacks his own act of true love, much like you do with yours." Pabbie scratched his forehead. "I would recommend you who this person you need to fall in love with is, but I'm not sure..."

"Who, Pabbie? To _who _do I need to show my act of true love to save Anna?"

The answer that Elsa would have thought she'd get was a regular commoner, a King, she even thought that she needed to fall in love with _Kristoff _just to save Anna. But instead, she got...

"Olaf!" Pabbie exclaimed.

Elsa's eyes widened in horror. "Olaf?!"

"What?" Olaf asked innocently as he continued to "braid" the hay on Pabbie's cloth. Pabbie frowned at Olaf lightly, causing Olaf to take a few steps back.

"Olaf?" Elsa asked Pabbie.

"What? No, of course not the Snowman, Elsa." Pabbie said, finding Elsa's question absurd. He straightened the hay on his cloth before saying, "Prince Hans of the Southern Isles."

Elsa's eyes widened even more. Suddenly, a very cold breeze, much like a Blizzard's passed by the garden, causing bushes to bend and leaves from the trees to shake. Olaf was almost blown away if he hadn't taken a hold of Pabbie's hay. Although Pabbie was irritated, he grabbed Olaf and helped him settle on the snowy ground.

"Elsa, please!" Pabbie begged.

She swallowed before she tried to calm herself. It took her _almost _an hour to process everything that Pabbie had told her and it took her almost an hour to stop the blowing blizzard. So she was the only person that can save Anna. Why hadn't she thought of that before? It's not like she was in the right time to think of such, not after seeing Anna frozen. But then again, even if she did know that she can unfreeze Anna; it wouldn't have worked unless she was in love with... with Hans.

As soon as the blowing blizzard stopped, Elsa escorted Pabbie, the two other trolls and Olaf inside the palace. When they entered the grand hall, there were lesser people inside. Perhaps the only people that were there were Kristoff, a few helpers and some of the Kings, Queens and Princesses from the other kingdoms. Fortunately, these were the royals that trusted her and didn't find her a monster at all from the time she revealed her powers. But now that they know that it had been her who "might have" killed Anna, Elsa wasn't sure if they still trust her anymore.

"Why Hans?" Elsa asked in a monotonous tone, forcing herself to not overreact. It just wasn't the queenly way of hers. "I mean... Pabbie, he _abandoned _Anna. How can he be the very person that I have to fall in love with? Isn't there anybody else?"

"There can be others." Pabbie agreed. "However, Anna's life is at stake. It had been a month since Anna is frozen. Another month like that... and she'll be frozen forever. No other act of true love, not even yours, is going to work. I found Hans the closest person that is merely connected to you and Anna. Unless you'd like to invite hundreds of single Princes and Kings, then it would take up much time."

"How can Hans lack his own act of true love? Isn't he loved enough back in his own kingdom?" Elsa complained.

"That is for _you _to find out, your highness." Pabbie answered.

"Awkward." Olaf cringed and Elsa grimaced at him, since he wasn't really helping right now.

"I don't think I can ever find myself falling in love with him." Elsa said as she crossed her arms on her chest. "He's a _monster. _He _killed _my sister."

"Both of you did. Well, not really _killed. _Just to the point of freezing her. But I believe you understand what I mean." Pabbie sighed. "You have one month. Otherwise, Anna cannot be thawed anymore."

"Fine." Elsa groaned in defeat. How can she even be agreeing to any of this? This was completely insane. "For Anna."

"You can't fake this, Elsa." Olaf said. "If you don't fall in love with Hans..."

"I know, Olaf." Elsa closed her eyes. "Is there anything else I need to know, Pabbie?"

"There is... I just forgot. What was it again? Ah, yes!"

Elsa wasn't sure which was more horrible; _she _needing to fall in love with Hans or...

**"You'll need to make that broken prince fall in love with you as well."**

Perhaps it was the latter.

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_To be continued..._

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**AN: **Too OOC? Too... weird? Let me know through the reviews!


	3. What Now

**Of Frozen Bitterness**

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**Chapter 3: What Now**

**AN: **I apologize if this update is beyond late (for me, it is). I had to finish exams properly without any distractions. So I hope this chapter will compensate for my absent days of publishing. Also, I see that I've gotten a lot of... questions on the second chapter. Most of them will be answered in this chapter, while the rest is, well... I've only got one thing to say. This is a _fan fiction _story. Anything can happen and everything doesn't have to be _nearly _as exact as it is in the movie. So, I don't want to have a debate on this because I can be pretty word-y when it comes to such issues. It's better if I show the next chapter now.

_PS. Best viewed in 3/4 option on the website itself._

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The night was young as Elsa stirred in her sleep. Well, not really in her sleep, because she really couldn't put herself to close her eyes. It just didn't do anyone justice if she fell asleep, knowing that she's caused an eternal winter to go ablaze in Arendelle. If only she knew how to stop the winter, she would. She didn't know that her emotional fear would eat up the best of her _and _her kingdom. Only Pabbie knows everything. But if she were to consult Pabbie of getting rid of the winter, Pabbie would tell her that only she can do it. All of this mayhem wouldn't have started if she could have just _concealed _it.

With a frustrated sigh, she sat upright on her bed and ran a hand through her hair. Getting over things was going to be a lot harder than she could imagine. Sleep won't do anything any more justice. Elsa got out of her bed in her light blue pajamas. Even if she is Queen, she would rather have her regular sleeping clothes than one of those royal robes you need to get in for "luck" as her mother had taught her. She then slipped on her cotton-like slippers before exiting her room. When she was a little girl, she'd go to the library in the middle of the night whenever she couldn't sleep. Oftentimes, she'd just find herself waking up in the library due to her wandering cravings to read books. But right now, she just felt that the library would occupy her thoughts.

As she enters the dimly lit library, she catches a blonde man going through the shelves noisily. When he had dropped three books altogether on the carpeted floor, Elsa smiled sadly. She closed the door behind her, causing the blonde man to look up in surprise.

"Queen Elsa," Kristoff bowed clumsily. Even though it's been a month since every mayhem happened, Kristoff tended to wear the same outfit he did the moment Elsa met him. Sure, he'd let the maids wash his clothes; but he rarely shows up with the clothes Elsa had ordered the maids to let him wear and would often stick to his original clothes right after they were done being laundered. But right now, he was wearing the midnight blue pajamas the maids had set for him and a white shirt to go with it. Needless to say, he looks like he was just preparing for bed. "Um, good... evening?"

"Even I myself can't tell what time of the night or day it is." Elsa laughed generously as she took a seat on one of the empty wooden table and chair sets. "You can't sleep?"

"Home sick is what I'd like to call it." Kristoff said as he began to pick up the books that fell. "And what stirs her royal slumber?"

"Guilt." Elsa admitted as she played with her fingers. "And what Pabbie wanted me to do to that can thaw Anna before the month ends."

"Pabbie?" Kristoff asked, confused. He stood up and started piling up the books to where they came from. "But Pabbie said she'll be forever frozen."

"She will if I don't do what he wants me to do." Elsa bit her lip. "Frankly, I hadn't expected that I'd have to, well, get involved with the other person that might have killed Anna."

Kristoff looked at her, almost infuriated. "Hans?"

Elsa explained everything Pabbie had told her. From the moment Pabbie came to Anna's funeral up to the time she almost froze all of Arendelle due to her reaction upon knowing that she has to get involved with Hans. Kristoff wasn't as happy when he heard about such news. She couldn't blame him, though. The Prince was an insufferable waste of time and a heartless human being. To think, she'd have to make him fall in love with her and her with him in less than three weeks.

"Pabbie would never pick when it comes to true love." Kristoff crossed his arms on his chest, his expression grimacing. "True love is true love - so why would he choose Hans for you? I mean, come on, there's plenty of Princes or Kings or whatever type you want out there. But Hans? That's like you helping Hans cheat on Anna."

"They're not together anymore." Elsa found herself saying the statement rather defensively. She gasped and covered her mouth. Relax, she thought. You're defending Anna's stand, _not _Hans'. Kristoff arched a brow at her. "I mean, they _aren't _ together anymore because I didn't bless their supposed marriage. It's not called cheating if they're technically not together anymore. If Anna is thawed, she'd want to throw Hans away like a law from the Arendelle book."_  
_

"Right," Kristoff said, prolonging the word awkwardly. "But you mentioned that it's only one month. So that must mean desperation. We get it. We all see that the guy lacks his own 'act of true love', but there's definitely someone else out there. You can't just stick to Hans - he's a demon."

"Exactly!" Elsa recovered, finally having someone say out loud what she's been thinking all this time. "It can't be just Hans... right?"

"Definitely." Kristoff agreed. "By any chance, it could be someone not as connected to you and Anna. We'll never know. But it'll have to be fast, though. I'd help you find someone, but then again, look where that got me."

"You did your best for Anna. All I know is that _I _didn't." Elsa stated sympathetically. "All I need to do now is... fall in love and make whoever the man is fall in love with me."

A door from the double doors of the library opened to reveal Olaf walking in, noseless, er, carrotless? His carrot nose was stuck on the keyhole and he grabbed it enthusiastically before nearing her and Kristoff. "Hey, you guys! Looks like I'm not the only night walker."

"It's actually sleep walker, Olaf." Elsa corrected with a small smile. "But it's close enough."

"True!" Olaf grinned as he jumped on the seat next to Elsa. He returned his carrot nose to its right position before asking, "So what are we planning here?"

"Elsa's lover... if we can find one, that is." Kristoff replied as he took a seat in front of Elsa. "That would be a problem."

"But I thought the troll said you need to fall in love with Hans?" Olaf asked Elsa, confused. "You're not gonna follow the troll?"

"Hans can't be the only one who lacks his 'act of true love'. It could be any guy." Elsa exasperated, shaking her head in frustration.

"Unless he really is the one." Kristoff shrugged with sudden realization and Olaf nodded in agreement.

Elsa's mouth went agape. "I thought you were encouraging me to find somebody else?"

"Elsa, you know... we know the guy's a menace. But let's _try _to face it. He might finally do some good deed being around you and all." Kristoff tried to explain. Elsa looked at him in horror. "Plus it's Pabbie. He's never wrong. But for your sake, I'll still help you find a different guy. But for the mean time, you have to stick with Hans."

"Can you promise that?" Elsa asked, sounding desperate.

"Oh, I heard promises are meant to be broken." Olaf interrupted thoughtfully to himself. "Or is it brokens are meant to be promises?"

"For Anna, since she wouldn't want you to get into anything involving Hans..." Kristoff went on. "It's a promise."

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The day started glumly, as it had been any other days ago. Fortunately, she managed to get back to her bed after conversing with Kristoff and Olaf in the library last night. Elsa had allowed Kristoff to stay in the palace, since that's what Anna would have wanted and let Olaf remain. He'd never melt unless he's in a heated place, which Elsa taught him never to go into because he'll most definitely melt. Olaf took that off as a sad case, but he obliged anyway.

The staff was still very secluded and had closed off the gates after yesterday's funeral. Anna's frozen state is now posed near the photo of her parents covered in black, funeral cloth. Elsa couldn't put herself to look at her sister, so she decided to get rid of the thought of seeing her for just this day. Since it was a day of mayhem, she couldn't let Anna distract her from all that she needs to be doing. A current situation like the people of Arendelle losing their trust on their queen is running a muck and she'd have to make a few convincing actions to show them that she's not a danger, even though she is.

She wished that she could just be in her ice palace again. Alone, yet free. No pretenses from anyone at all. It made her feel safe. But Arendelle was hers to run and next to family is her kingdom. Hence, she has no choice.

As the snow continues to settle outside the palace, a knock resounded from the double doors of her royal study. Elsa looked up from her dozen paper works and ordered for whoever who knocked to enter.

Kai entered, bowed and said, "Good morning, your majesty. I'm sorry to have disturbed you at this moment, but you have a visitor."

"The gates are closed, Kai." Elsa frowned to herself. "I thought that made it perfectly clear that I don't want any other visitors coming my way unless I tell the guards to open up the gates."

"Yes, I am aware of that, your graciousness." Kai closed his eyes with a sigh. "But I believe this is urgent. Three of the Princes of the Southern Isles would like to have a word of you."

Elsa's eyes widened. "Is..."

"Prince Hans is with them." Kai answered before Elsa could ask anything, because he knew that the Queen had set off strict orders not to allow Hans back in Arendelle. "Would you like me to escort him out of the palace or?"

"No." Elsa's voice faltered as she rose from her seat. She caressed the creases off her velvet gown before saying, "He can... be here since his brothers are here as well."

Elsa was escorted by Kai towards the royal hall. As they walk, Elsa couldn't help but internally burst in anger. Small frosts were settling on the carpet and on the windows as they pass by. It seems that her anger was starting to act on with her powers. If she doesn't stop being angry, the palace would be in an eternal winter as well. Pull it together, she thought to herself. The frost stopped trailing behind her, but it still left marks that will take a while to remove by the staff.

As soon as she and Kai entered the royal hall, arguing resounded. There was also a great blow of cold air. Elsa wasn't sure if it was just her or she might have just basically frozen the insides of the palace. Standing before the steps of her throne were three men dressed in their royal coats and pants. Two of them, who Elsa guessed would be Hans' two older brothers, were throwing horrible words at each other. One that's much taller than the other had scorching green eyes, a lot like Hans' and jet black hair. He had a light complexion, similar to the person he's arguing with and he looked absolutely arrogant. She assumed he was the eldest among the three, the second being the one less taller with the same auburn hair as Hans but had blue eyes filled with conviction. This one, apparently, was more graceful in a manly way. Definitely apart from two of his brothers.

Kai cleared his throat, as if that would help stop the argument. "Your lords, may I present - Queen Elsa of Arendelle."

Upon the announcement of her name, the two stopped arguing and finally swerved their attention towards Kai and Elsa. Hans, who wore a different set for a royal attire, looked at Elsa with a smirk, like he was keeping some horrific secret and he couldn't wait to rub it in her face. It made Elsa's stomach twist in knots. Had he looked that dashing before?

The tallest one bowed, followed by the second, then Hans; who kept his gaze on her.

"Good day, your highness." The tall one greeted. "We apologize for intruding on this fine, cold, winter..."

"This marvelous winter." The second one interjected lightly as he smiled apologetically at Elsa. Elsa smiled back lightly. "But we wish to have a word with you, if her highness agrees. If not, then -"

"We can just leave." Hans cut in, crossing his arms. He then smirked at Elsa once again, causing Elsa to frown at him. "We wouldn't want to disturb her highness's duties."

"Oh, it's... remarkable how you finish each other's sentences." Elsa covered her mouth to laugh modestly. She walked up to her throne before taking a seat on it. "May your lords introduce yourselves?"

The tallest stepped up first before bowing, "Prince Anderson. I would have to be the... 10th of all 13 sons of King Hugh and Queen Maria of the Southern Isles."

"Prince Christian, your highness. That would make me the 11th." The second one bowed before turning to Hans. "And of course, I do believe you know Prince Hans. The, uh, supposed groom of your sister."

Elsa forced a smile once Christian made mention of Hans. "Quite a marriage they couldn't have."

Anderson eyed the tension between Elsa and Hans, so he cleared his throat before going on with their business as to why they arrived in Arendelle. Apparently, it was Hans' idea to help Arendelle due to its current state. Ever since she decided to decline trades with Weselton, the kingdom had grown drought due to its winter. The Southern Isles is well known for their supplies that can be traded with other kingdoms. While all other kingdoms don't wish to help Arendelle in fear of Elsa's control over the element of ice and snow, Hans volunteered to show that there's still a kingdom out there who cares.

Although she appreciates the kingdom's initiative, she still wanted answers; especially from Hans. It would have to take her a few days or a week to agree to this "trading" fiasco. If this was another way for Hans to get to Arendelle's crown... _her _crown, Elsa was bound to freeze Hans. As Christian tries to explain the process of the tradings, she couldn't help but glance at Hans from time to time. He acts so smoothly, like she hadn't thrown him out the window yesterday.

"...So, if by allowance of the Queen; I'd like to request Christian and Hans's stay in your kingdom for a number of weeks to settle the ordain of the trading." Anderson finalized, and Elsa wasn't even sure she understood the first few things that were said. She snapped herself out of it as she looked at Anderson briefly. "Your highness?"

"Ah, yes." Elsa nodded quickly. "That'll be absolutely fine. For how long is it?"

"A few weeks, no more than that. Just so they can give you an overview of what the Southern Isles has to offer. Of course, Arendelle would have to offer something as well. It wasn't called a _trade _for nothing." Anderson went on skeptically.

Elsa forced a smile. "As much as I'd rather we go on a different lane on that, I'm afraid Arendelle has very little to offer for now. But perhaps when the, ah, winter clears out?"

"Very well, your highness." Anderson nodded. "Christian and Hans will let me know if such an agreement is settled on the tradings. Their baggage will arrive by tomorrow. We're looking forward to be of service with you."

"Likewise." Elsa replied before turning to Kai. "Kai, would you please show our guests to their rooms? And please occupy them with fresh clothings until their personal belongings are delivered."

Elsa shook hands with Anderson, Christian and Hans before heading back to her office. She didn't know why, but this day was beginning to become a lot weirder than she deem it wouldn't be. With Hans back in the palace, who knows what other horrific things he can do. She'd have to ask the staff to have guards guarding the room where Anna is in case he does another heartless act like melting Anna or breaking her in the most horrific thaw possible. Just the thought of it made her feel bile rise up to her throat.

Just as she was about to turn a corner in the hall, she heard footsteps behind her. The pace of the footing was fast. Elsa told herself that it's just a staff running off in a hurry. But when the pace quickened even more, it made her turn. And it made her groan frustratingly as well.

"What does his royalty want?" Elsa asked, her mock formality left a sickening aura to it.

"A few words to clear up a freeze." Hans answered as he took a few steps forward to near her. "You can thank me later."

"I haven't agreed on the trade yet, Hans." Elsa spat icily as a few frosts settled on her palms. "Don't you ever think that I don't know what you're up to. You might have manipulated Anna, but you can never manipulate me. I'm not a fool."

"But there's always that once in a life moment when we truly act like fools." Hans pointed out with a devilish smirk. He was definitely emphasizing her choice of leaving Arendelle to be free of pretenses. "Isn't that right?"

"Anything more unwise to say before I head off to work on some laws?" Elsa asked, crossing her arms on her chest. The walls were beginning to have flecks of frost due to her sudden turmoil. If only she had her gloves on. Then she remembers that she threw it off the Northern Mountain while building her isolated palace. She ought to get some help in controlling her powers; which made her mentally note down to visit the Valley of the Living Rocks some time this week. It would do her good as well to let Pabbie see her "progress" with Hans, as if there was any.

"Quite the opposite, I should say." Hans shrugged. "Did you ask the troll about thawing Anna?"

"How do you even know about the troll?" Elsa pinned.

Hans raised a finger to halt her from saying anything further. "It seems as if her highness didn't learn her proper etiquette. I asked first."

Elsa rolled her eyes in the most graceful, yet sternly queen-like possible. "Yes, I did."

"And what did he say?"

Suddenly, Elsa felt as if she had suddenly frozen herself. There was no way in everything that is purgatorial was Elsa going to tell him. It had been deliberately frustrating enough that she had to fall in love with _him _and she didn't need _him _to overdrive his ego for the sake of... well, whatever his dubious mind is planning about.

"I believe that matter is between me and the troll alone, Hans." Elsa remarked as she cleared her throat. "But if you do pry it off of him, be my guest to tell me what you know."

"I will most definitely talk to him." Hans sounded like he meant it as a challenge, which tempted Elsa to roll her eyes yet again at him. But then, that would make her look like she won't get anywhere with anybody. Plus, it would do her and Hans a favor... well, mostly her, since she needs her sister thawed. "I am a man of persuasion, Queen Elsa."

"Aren't you, now?" Elsa faked a smile playfully before turning her back on him. As she began to walk away, she said, "I'll be in my office a lot more than in the throne room. If you need to talk about the tradings, I'm open any time."

As she further walks away from him, she heard the faintest call of his voice saying, "I haven't answered your question yet!"

Elsa turned and found that they were practically a hall away from each other. But since the palace was silent, their voices were slightly distinct yet clear enough to hear. "I'm flattered you haven't disregarded it! What might be your answer?"

"You're not the only one who has issues with the winter!"

* * *

Everything went on like a blur, as it shouldn't have been. However, there was no point in having to put some optimism in her kingdom, unless she thaws it. Of course, even if she does ask Pabbie how to thaw it, he wouldn't tell her. He was always the mysterious, yet straight forward type of helper. He likes letting people figure it out for themselves. It's always one sentence, but it doesn't mean it's only one sided, there can always be more. Which stems it towards her act of true love. Just because Pabbie said it should be Hans, doesn't mean it really has to be.

Leading up to her last conversation with Hans, Elsa wasn't sure what to make of his answer. Not the only person who has issues with the winter? Could it mean that such powers were embedded with Hans that it had been crucial for him to know about the trolls? No. It couldn't be. Hans lacked details and she was darn right going to get every detail, just not now. Maybe later or tomorrow. Needless to say, she really wasn't in the mood to play Sherlock Holmes on how Hans knows about the trolls. Perhaps such interrogation questions are meant to be asked some other time.

As Elsa travels up to the dining hall for lunch, she is joined by Olaf who came waddling out of the library. He smells of dust and ancient books, which she assumes that he might have gone through some untouched books and shelves that caused him to smell as such.

"How's your morning so far, Elsa?" Olaf asked cheerfully. How on earth had she made Olaf such an optimist was a mystery to her.

"Bleak. There's no other way to describe it." Elsa sighed as she rolled her shoulders to lessen the tension off of it. Ever since Hans and his brothers came, she felt like Atlas, who carried the Earth on his shoulders. Except the earth on hers was a burden beyond any other planet. "Hans and his brothers came here this morning. Apparently, they wanted to help Arendelle by trading goods with us. Well, it was Hans' idea, but I think you understand what I mean. Although I find the notion helpful, we all know how Hans can be. With my current state, I can never convince anyone at all that he's a demon behind all sorts of demons."

"You must really hate him, don't you?" Olaf furrowed his brows before smiling knowingly. "But! We all know that the more you hate, the more you love. It's just like what Pabbie wanted to happen."

"He partially killed Anna." Elsa shrugged as they entered the dining hall. "It's impossible to fall in love with him."

"Merciful Isles!" Christian yelped in surprise as he rose from his seat in the long table.

Elsa's heart leaped upon hearing Christian. She hadn't expected him to be in the dining hall that early. Christian looked as if he was ready to faint as he tries to recover while taking a drink from his goblet.

"Hello, there!" Olaf waved his twiggy hands at Christian. "I'm Olaf!"

"A talking snowman." Christian murmured to himself as he continues to stare at Olaf. His wild look finally turned towards Elsa. "I'm talking to a talking snowman. Please tell me I'm only dreaming."

Elsa bit her lip guiltily as she watched Olaf near Christian. "Good afternoon to you too, Prince Christian. And I apologize for the sudden intrusion of my, er, snowman."

"Hey, you look a lot like Hans!" Olaf recognized. "But you seem a lot nicer than him. Tell me I'm right, Elsa."

"Yes, you're right." Elsa smiled awkwardly as she began to pull Olaf away from approaching Christian. "But it's lunch time and you might have given Prince Christian a fright. So if it's alright with you, can you please give us a few moments?"

"Oh, so sorry about that." Olaf said apologetically as he headed for the doors. "I'll talk to you later! And you too, Christian!"

As soon as Olaf is gone, Christian finally composed himself before taking his seat. "Is that for real? Or is it merely a part of your powers?"

"More on both, actually." Elsa admitted as she took her seat adjacent to Christian's. "When Anna and I were children, we built a snowman. I named that snowman Olaf. In the process of my power's development, I unintentionally rebuilt him and didn't know that I had actually brought him to life."

"Interesting." He nodded, relieved that it cleared up the doubts. "I apologize if my brother can't join us for lunch..."

_Please, I don't mind._ Elsa thought to herself as she started on her mushroom soup.

"He sends you his afternoon greetings and mentioned that he will be using the library to cover up some research. I am, however, unsure of what charade he has in store. He's not really the "get out of there" type. He's cut off connection with us for quite some time since he was sixteen."

"Well, with a number of... how do I recall this, twelve brothers? It's not impossible for him to cut off communication. Perhaps he felt that there was too much of all of you and that it makes him feel small?"

"He's the 13th among us. I can hardly blame him, though. Max, Drew and Aaron pretended he was invisible for two years. That's saying a lot, since those three are the eldest. Needless to say, I know very little of what Hans is like since he really doesn't talk to me... or to any of our brothers."

"I'm sure that with his offer of help for Arendelle, he can be... acknowledged by your family."

They ate in silence as soon as the main course arrived. As she stared at her Lobster blankly, Elsa couldn't help but think of what Hans said earlier. It kept gnawing at her like splinters on skin. As far as her father taught her, the Valley of the Living Rocks only existed in some western part of Arendelle. Unless Hans was lying, his family must have been either desperate or bored that they needed to find the trolls and ask help from them.

"Prince Christian," Elsa called for his attention.

Christian looked up from his merriment in eating Lobster. She takes it that it's his favorite meal. "Please, your highness, you may call me Christian."

"Oh, well, Christian." She nodded as she bit her lip. If there was one thing that she hated about herself, it's that she can't shut her trap when she wanted answers. Oftentimes, it lead her to become pushy, which was a big no-no in the "Being Queen" rule book. "I was just wondering. Hans told me that he knows about, well, some trolls. Do you remember anything that might have involved such with him around?"

His face thought long and hard; and she thanked her lucky stars she was going to get some answers, practically _decent _ones from someone. He put his fork down and held his hands together. "When we were merely children, I tried to get along with Hans. In Summer, we'd play by the beach. In Autumn, we'd ride our bikes around the halls of the castle. Perhaps the best... and worst was in Winter. We were playing in the gardens, heaps of snow everywhere. It was his favorite season. Well, _was._"

She arched a brow, intrigued. "What happened?"

"Let's just say I did something horrible, _unintentionally _to him while we were playing. Accidents happen as they do say." This time, his face contorted in pain upon the memory. "When my mother saw the damage, she brought me and Hans out of the kingdom. We traveled through sea and somehow, had brought us here, at Arendelle."

"You've been here?" She asks, surprised. But then again, she wouldn't have known since she had locked herself up all those years to keep her from hurting anyone with her powers.

"Yes, we have. Although I believe the gates were closed and we couldn't fully introduce ourselves to you and your parents. So we went off to some western parts of Arendelle. Then we arrived at a wide valley full of rocks. Little did I know that these rocks are actually, well, trolls. They're, well, magical. Especially Pabbie." He pursed his lips. "That was the only time Hans knew about the trolls and nothing more. Unless, of course, he sneaks out and visits them. We never really talked after that incident."

Elsa found it surprisingly similar to her past situation with Anna. An accident was done and due to that, they went to the Valley of the Trolls. Communication was shut out between them to keep her from hurting her sister. It almost made her want to share that she's had the same experience, but then, that would open different boarders. Plus, even though they might relate with each other, Elsa doesn't know Christian enough to trust him with her stories.

"I'm really sorry to hear that." Elsa apologized as she looked at her lobster awkwardly. "And I apologize for asking. I didn't know..."

"It's alright, your highness." Christian nodded, knowing she meant well. "Some just need to let it go, right?"

"Yes, of course." She chucked her fork into her lobster before asking, "One last question. So you've told me that Hans doesn't like the winter now, and he told me earlier that... I'm not the only one who has issues with the winter. Do you have any idea what that could possibly mean? I mean, you being his brother and all. I was just... it's been irking me lately."

Christian smiled sadly as he placed his fork and knife at the side of his plate complacently. "You see, your majesty. We're very much alike."

"I'm confused."

"What Hans meant is that... you're not the only person in this dining hall who is gifted or, well, cursed with the power of the cold."

When Elsa swiveled her head from left to right, trying to search for someone else that might have shared her gift or curse that was in that very room; she found no one... no one, other than Prince Christian of the Southern Isles.

Oh.

* * *

_To be continued..._

* * *

**AN: **I hope this chapter is slightly satisfactory enough to make up for my long days of not posting. I think that this story will go beyond five chapters, so maybe I might go for seven or eight being my last chapter/epilogue. Reviews are appreciated and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Stay tuned! ^^


	4. Elsa's Powers

**Of Frozen Bitterness**

* * *

**Chapter 4: Elsa's Powers  
week one (x); three more weeks**

**AN: **Thank you for the amazing and inspiring reviews. They're really amazing motivations. Now that it's Christmas Break, I have less to worry about even though Senior graduation is just, well, months away from now. But to Hades with that now. Here's an update, and enjoy!

Trivia: The italicized words that Elsa is singing in the beginning is her own reprise/version of Anna's "Do You Want To Build A Snowman?" where Anna sang to Elsa after their parents' funeral. I altered it a bit to let it fit under Elsa's point of view. Also, "Anderson" and "Christian" are names of the author of _The Snow Queen _where Frozen originated from. The author's name is **Hans **_Christian _Anderson. Last thing; Hans is (23 years old), Elsa is (21 years old), Anna is (18 years old) and Kristoff is (21 years old).

_PS. Best viewed in 3/4 option on the website itself._

* * *

"_Anna, please, I know you're in there. Even though it's hard to say. They say "have courage", and I'm trying to. I'm finding ways for you. Just give me time_." Elsa looked up to her sister's frozen state as she sat at the foot of her. Anna's face contorted in an effort to stop Hans' sword from beheading her. Her eyes full of fear, yet determination. Even in the state of a statue, she looked absolutely beautiful, absolutely wonderful. If only she had controlled it.

Elsa felt a tear slip down her cheek and she couldn't help but let the rest follow. She didn't know how long she had stayed in that room, mourning and trying to find ways to thaw Anna without having to fall in love with a monster like her. In her silent efforts of trying, there was no use. Isn't her love for Anna enough to thaw her? Must it really require a man?

"_I'm right out here to protect you. I'll do what it takes. What am I gonna do?_" Elsa whispered in a sad melody as she put both of her arms at the foot of her sister's frozen state and bowed her head. The room was now half isolated with the ice and snow that she had conjured up whilst crying. With that, she choked in her tears, "_Do you want to build... a snow - man..._"

A knock resounded from the door, causing Elsa to jump up in surprise and wipe off her tears. She composed herself as she forced herself to stop feeling. _Conceal, Elsa, **conceal.**_The tears stopped, but her wreckage was obvious as she stared at her reflection in the half frosted window. Her eyes were red from crying and her cheeks were damp with tears as they also feel sore.

"Who is it?" Her voice was monotonous, but she felt that her voice might have quivered upon asking.

"It's Christian, your highness." The formal voice of Christian replied.

Elsa sighed, blew off some air out of her before opening the door to reveal Christian. For a prince who's only wearing black pants and a simple blue shirt, he still looks like royalty with his clean cut hair and ravenous features. Wait, what? "I'm sorry. I just..."

"You don't need to explain." Christian smiled sadly before offering his hand. He didn't bother to look at the room where she was in, which Elsa was thankful for. She also liked how he doesn't push things that she doesn't want. Chalk one up for a man who's actually decent next to Kristoff. "Shall we?"

Christian lead her through numbers of hallways and it took them seven minutes of long, slow walks. Perhaps he was helping her to calm down after having a mental and emotional breakdown inside the said room, which Elsa felt grateful for. She hadn't felt so safe and warm in someone's arms. It had been that way all week.

After finding out that Christian also had the power of ice and snow, she had asked for his help in controlling her powers. Elsa still couldn't believe that there was someone out there who was much like her. The thought of it is rather comforting and somehow, it made her feel just a little bit confident with what powers she possess. Christian had made it a point to show that their powers are more of a blessing than a curse once they know how to control it.

The young Saturday morning was like any other day. Cold, yet it felt less of a distraught then it was during the week where Elsa is still trying to keep herself from having turmoils that would cause blizzard after blizzard in the kingdom. When they arrived at the garden, Christian sat at the foot of the frozen fountain while Elsa sat at the stone base of it.

"Let's try this again." Christian started as he held out his palms, and Elsa followed suit. "Now. Try to remember why you set off an eternal winter in your kingdom."

"Christian -"

"Elsa, please. Just do it."

Elsa sighed in defeat before closing her eyes. She recalled the night of her coronation. Everything was going smoothly and she thought that maybe, just maybe she can keep the gates open the next day. Until Anna came bounding up to her with Hans beside her. Needless to say that the moment she saw Hans, she felt just a _little _bit of a prick in her heart. She had very little experience in meeting up with dignitaries and other Princes while growing up. So, perhaps, it was that "at first sight" phase where she had never seen someone so... dashing, handsome, spruce? Elegantly dashingly handsome? She can admit that even though he had been the devil of all that is purgatorial, he was still very good-looking though she hates to say it. Heaven only knew how she felt.

Wait, _what_?

But she cut that thought off distractedly. _Focus. _She remembers Anna telling her that she was going to get married to Hans. It was an infuriating thought and was honestly a stupid idea. Who marries someone they just met _that day_? That's right, _Anna. _Perhaps the event of her wanting to set off an eternal winter was when Anna told her that all she knew was how to shut people out. It made her feel small once she heard that from Anna. It tore her apart because she wanted to scream that Anna didn't know what she was saying. If only she knew what it's like to isolate one's self to keep the ones you love _safe._

The wind blew a little stronger around them. Flecks of snow slapped at her face, but she didn't care. Christian didn't seem to be doing anything other than grabbing her hands and squeezing them in the most comfortable way possible. The memory was never vague that night. As she ran out of the palace and had unintentionally showed the curse in her powers to her people, she felt fear. Fear clawed at her throat that made her unable to speak nor even think that night. And as she stepped on the water, ice formed; and so she ran across the fjord.

Elsa opened her eyes and saw that the wind was howling strongly now, trees were bending and some bushes were flying around. Her heart felt ice cold, like the person she is. _Stop it, _Elsa told herself as she stared at the garden in horror. Almost everything in it was flying off; gnomes, flowers, small sculptures.

Christian seemed awfully calm about it. He squeezed her hands to call for her attention. She turned to him with wide eyes. With a small smile, he whispered below the noise. "Let... the fear... _go._"

Bushes and other materials in the garden were still flying around, and she can already hear the people outside the palace crying in surprise and fear. Elsa swallowed as she closed her eyes and concentrated long and hard.

"Forgive yourself, Elsa." Christian told her as she felt his hands get warm. It still amazes her how he can do that. "Remember that you are gifted, not cursed. Believe that your power brings hope and not fear."

Suddenly, the wind slowed and the flying materials slowly settled as the snow eased them down. Elsa breathed out and the snowflakes suspend around them.

"Drop it." Christian commanded, and Elsa waved a hand down as the small trickles of snow fell on the ground. The temperature went under its normal cold circumstance. He patted her hands warmly as he rose. "I knew you can do it. It'll need some minor modifications, but otherwise, you got to stop the blizzard. That's showing a lot of progress."

Elsa smiled at him gratefully before rising as well. Without much hesitation, she pulled him to a hug. Although the notion was beyond surprising, she didn't want to mind now. All her life, she's been trying to find someone or, well, just find herself that can control her powers. Now that she's getting a hold of it, it's impossible not to feel grateful. She just realized how wonderful he smelled. He smelled of chocolate mixed with mint, and it was a rather heavenly smell to behold. With a small sigh, she whispered, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Christian was the first to pull away. "Now, I believe my brother is waiting for you in the library."

"Waiting for me?" Elsa arched a brow at him. "What does he want?"

"He volunteered to explain the mechanics of the tradings." He pursed his lips in disbelief. "Apparently, he's been doing his research lately. I haven't seen him so serious about something until now. He can be rather... mysterious."

She smiled mockingly, remembering how Hans wanted to kill her and her sister. "If only you knew what was beyond him."

* * *

As Elsa was beginning to head for the library, she had caught up with Kristoff, who looked like he just came back from thawing ice at the eastern part of Arendelle. Usually, she wouldn't allow him to come out, since Anna would have wanted him safe from the winter she's created. But since Kristoff mentioned that he was used to the winter and had been living his life with ice, he said that he didn't mind thawing ice out of the castle. He terms it as "playing with time".

"Good morning, Elsa." Kristoff greeted as he wiped a stray sweat off his forehead as he swung his saw behind his back.

Elsa nodded towards his saw. "I see you've been out?"

"I'm not used to castles... or anything royal of the like. I hope you don't mind me going out." He bowed his head apologetically. "I was just passing time. I'm surprised you even still want me here."

"Anna wouldn't have wanted it any other way." She shrugged, breathing out heavily. "Any progress on that _find someone else _for me?"

"Well, I have talked to this Prince Christian. He looks a lot like Hans, though given that they're siblings. I'm not sure how you can even handle having two of his faces in the same place." He scratched his head. "But if you want someone else, I can keep looking."

"No, I mean..." She trailed off as she stared outside the window where she can see Olaf attempting to make conversation with Christian, who's still a bit baffled with a live snowman talking to him. "Christian is fine. I'm still trying to get to him."

"He seems to be helping you control your powers." He nodded. "That's a start, right? He's a nice guy. Less arrogant, more manly."

"Oh, so Hans is _less _manly?" She laughed, covering her mouth when she found that she's laughed too loud.

He chuckled. "Too graceful, I should say. But Christian is better. At least he's making some progress with you. Is he?"

She looked out the window again and felt a smile crept up to her lips. "He's growing on me... somehow."

"There you have it." He sheathed his saw behind his back before putting both of his hands on his hips. "More growing on that and you'll get Anna thawed in no time. You're doing great, Elsa."

"Thank you." She nodded humbly before saying her goodbyes to him.

Once she's in the library, she didn't see Hans; which disappointed her. Somebody's gotta teach that Prince what "time management" and "being on time" is. He wasn't really the most punctual royal out there. But when Elsa saw that there were books, scrolls, parchments and letters on the biggest table in the library, she knew that someone was in here. Hans probably just went out to get something and had already started without her.

With a tired sigh, she sat before the number of paper works before her. The open books showed the History of Arendelle and its trading mechanisms with a list of kingdoms the kingdom has been trading with for the past twenty years. She could hardly remember any of this information. As young as she was, she was never exposed to the riches and common traditions of Arendelle. It was only then that she was crowned Queen that she started reviewing the history of the kingdom.

The papers on the table were several contracts, some only drafts that showed the agreement of the tradings between Arendelle and all the other kingdoms. Elsa hadn't known that their kingdom used to be so rich in tradings. It only dropped its place when her parents had died and no one ruled Arendelle except her and Anna. It had to take her three more years before realizing how much Arendelle had fallen since then. The thought just made her feel more guilty than she already is.

Suddenly, frost set on the table and she gasped before recoiling her touch from it. It made her mentally note to tell Gerda to sew her new gloves. Even though she's been practicing on controlling her powers, it's only controllable whenever Christian's around.

The double doors of the library opened to reveal Hans in the same outfit he wore when she first met him. When his eyes settled on hers, she felt the hair on her skin rise. What in the name of -

"Elsa," Hans greeted with a sarcastic grin.

Elsa rolled her eyes at it. "Ever heard of _time management?_"

Hans ignored her question and went on, "I didn't know you'd come. Usually you'd just swerve a little meeting like this like it's nothing."

"It's not _nothing _if it involves my kingdom and yours." She answered, like it was the most obvious thing. Without another thought, she turned her back on him and stared at the amount of work they have to go through. "Where did you get all of this? I wasn't even aware these books exists."

"Is that so?" He chuckled as he sat beside her as he grabbed the book of Arendelle's trading history. "Ever wondered why I was incognito the entire week?"

"Quite unlike you, I should say." She remarked as she rolled her shoulders, removing the tension off of her. It had gotten surprisingly warmer once Hans had settled beside her. Hot and cold _do not _go well together.

"I bet you diamonds you haven't. Since you were, well," Hans pursed his lips as he stared at the book in his hand distractedly. "Having fun with my brother."

For a moment there, Elsa heard a hinge of... anger? Sadness? _Jealousy_, perhaps, in his voice. When she didn't answer, since she really didn't know _how _to answer to that, Hans started. "Arendelle has quite a history with tradings. If you sum up the riches and the amount of materials that can be traded, plus the percentage of your agriculture, you'd have to be the richest kingdom in a specific year."

This was new information for her. Elsa hauled the book off of Hans' hands as she searched through it. "How on earth-"

"That year would have to be your Grandfather's rule, King Rupert." Hans stated as he pointed a paragraph in the book Elsa had grabbed from him. "It dropped a percentage on the fifth year and it suddenly rose on the eight. Needless to say, the Arendelle bloodline never went wrong."

"It dropped on the year of my father's reign." Elsa murmured to herself as she read over the information. She was absolutely wrong about herself. She knew only the obvious things about her kingdom, yet she never bothered to know the tradings, the agriculture, the system of the commoners. All because she had isolated herself all those years. "Specifically on the year I..."

"You what?" Hans prompted with a perfect arch of a brow. Elsa closed her eyes to shut the memory off. It was the year she had accidentally hit Anna with her powers. Ever since then, her father had cut off outside communication with their kingdom and any other kingdoms. It was all because of one little accident did their kingdom's ratings went down a notch.

"Nothing." Elsa shook her head before opening her eyes again, putting the book down. "What can be done?"

"As I have discussed with Christian and Anderson, there are far too less goods that your kingdom can offer." Hans explained. "However, I asked for them to let the Southern Isles offer some materials that the kingdom might need in a winter's drought. It's pretty obvious that the palace itself lacks materials for helping the commoners. Call it, ah, _compensation _trade. Once your kingdom rises to the proper occasion, by then will you return the favor to our kingdom."

"That's a little shameful for Arendelle." Elsa thought out loud.

"But it needs all the help it can get. I don't think there's any other kingdom out there willing to help you now. Travelling up to Arendelle is hard enough because of the frozen fjord." Hans offered. Was this prince mocking her or what? He smirked to lessen the tension. "Nothing personal, your highness. Strictly business."

"Really? It's not the way I see it." Elsa spat at him bitterly. "You may be helping Arendelle, but you don't fool me. I have my eyes on you."

Hans smirked devilishly as he leaned a little closer. "And I have _my _eyes on you, my queen. Who knew we could be so mutual?"

Elsa could feel her cheeks turn as red as the velvet carpet of the library. The temperature was beginning to drop. What on earth is going on? Frost began to settle at the windows as well as on the table where her hand lays. _Snap out of it_, she scolded herself. The moving frost on the windows and table stopped, and she blew out a sigh.

"My, my, your highness." Hans chuckled as he glanced at the small frosts on the table. "Still tempted to freeze me?"

Oh, he wants to play _that _game. Elsa smirked at him playfully. "I'm not saying I'm hesitating."

"Hit me." Hans challenged.

"But it's such a shame..." Elsa pouted as she trailed her fingers against his cheek as small frosts trailed on his skin. "To freeze such a handsome face."

"Yes, your majesty." Hans agreed, smirking ever so dashingly that smirk of his as he held the wrist of her hand that was trailing frosts on his cheek. "Quite a shame it would be. That's one less prince to marvel about, yes?"

Elsa really didn't know what was coming out of her mouth after that. Because her sentences went from one flirtatious catch to another. Apparently, Hans was jiving into it; like it was some horrific game they look as if they've played it with someone before and was only insinuating it with one another. Hadn't she told herself that it was impossible to fall in love with such a man? Not that she's in love with him _now. _But more little games like that and it would be the death of Elsa's sanity.

Eventually, their little flare of a game simmered down once Elsa saw the time. It was approaching lunch and much to her disbelief, she has a meeting with a delegate from the Corona kingdom regarding the farms of the kingdom. Ever since word came out that the Princes from the Southern Isles had courageously entered the sacred ice grounds of Arendelle and heard that they are _unfrozen _as most say, some delegates are already willing to have meetings with her.

For a prince with a cocky attitude and a devilish master plan of dominating a kingdom, Elsa finds it surprising how well thought out Hans can be. He's practical and feeble about most of everything despite the time pressure. He explained the context of Southern Isles trading customs and what their kingdom is willing to offer to her kingdom. Once she saw the list and had discussed it with Hans, she felt relieved. The list was so long, yet it was straight to the point. It had everything Arendelle needs for both winter _and _summer. Hans thought that if she somehow thaws Anna, she'd thaw Arendelle, so offering summer materials wouldn't hurt.

With all such promising offers, Elsa finally agreed on the terms and conditions that the Southern Isles applies in the trading system.

"When will the materials from your kingdom come?" Elsa asked as she helped Hans organize the paper works that she recently had signed whilst the agreement. Who knew trading required twenty contracts?

"I'd say about Monday. Christian and I will need to check on the materials that are needed to be shipped... and well, _sled _through the fjord." Hans chuckled as he closed all of the books that they scanned upon discussion. "I'm guessing you're going to let people in now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you mentioned you're going to have a meeting with a delegate. I assume that means _letting people in_. Since, you know, your gates have been closed for quite some time since..."

"Only for purposes that involves my kingdom's well-being. Plus, I had no choice with you and your brothers. You barged in without even letting me agree."

"We thought it was urgent."

"I didn't know that urgency required haste."

"I didn't know that helping required judgement."

"Are you seriously going to have this argument with me?"

"If her majesty wishes to go forth with such an argument."

Elsa grunted as she piled up the papers. "You can be such a -"

"Such a what?" Hans prompted with a playful smirk. Gods, when does this guy _never _smirk around her since he came back? Maybe if she could throw him out of the window again. He can be so frustrating, it literally made her head ache.

"Pompous human being!" Elsa snapped at him, but Hans remained giddy. That smirk is just unbreakable now.

"I should say the same for you, my queen." Hans nodded before setting aside the books he had recently fixed. He then took her hand in his. Elsa had the sudden urge to recoil from his touch, but before she could even do so, Hans had already planted a chaste kiss on the back of her hand. It made her jump a bit and made the hairs on her skin rise. A small warmth ran down her spine and it was the first time she felt that since her father taught her how to conceal her powers. What is this feeling?

Before Hans could do anything else with her hand, she quickly pulled away; hoping she wasn't showing that much of an emotional reaction towards his recent fiasco on her. Hans smiled at her lightly, "Christian and I should really be going ahead now. Preparing takes more than a weekend, as they do say."

"Y-you aren't staying for lunch?" Elsa asked and she heard the sadness in her voice. A whole weekend with them gone. She wasn't sure which was frustrating; Hans and Christian gone for an entire weekend or delegates bombarding her all weekend with questions and meetings. Honestly, she would rather have a prince who has the same powers as her helping her control herself and a prince who seems overly concerned about her kingdom than a bunch of royal delegates coming her way just to annoy her.

"That's coming from the queen who asked me if I knew what _time management _is." Hans shook his head with a chuckle as he began to retreat from the library. "Till' next week, your highness."

Mother of Arendelle, that prince was such a frustrating bundle. How on earth she managed to survive two hours; one hour of harmless flirting and an hour of trading discussion - with Hans, she had no idea. There are only two things that she knows now.

One; she's not the only person who has the power of ice and snow.

And two; Hans might be a bit too helpful than she deemed he wouldn't be.

* * *

_To be continued..._

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**AN: **That's a wrap for Chapter 4! Reviews are great motivations and I'd like to hear on what you think about this chapter. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and expect an update within this week. ^^


	5. Hans' Story

**Of Frozen Bitterness**

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**Chapter 5: Hans's Story  
****week two (x); two more weeks**

**AN: **I'd like to thank everyone who has given seconds or minutes of their time to write a review for this story. I appreciate all the concerns you've noted because it helps me improve my writing bit by bit. I can see the majority of my reviewers loving Christian (I know, I love him too. He's so perfect in my mind). But we'll see *wink wink* Haha. I hope you'll enjoy a fit full long of Chapter Five!

_PS. Best viewed in 3/4 option on the website itself._

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If Elsa were to compare the worst weekends between her weekends alone, isolated in her room to royal delegates having provocative meetings with her - the worst would be the latter. Not that Elsa hates anyone or anything, it's just that she's not really a _people person_. Her coronation night was quite enough of a traumatic number of people to talk to, what more if the depth of the conversations go beyond casual greetings? Needless to say, she had quite enough with people on a specified weekend. It only made things worst for her, to be honest.

At least it was over now. Yesterday, the tradable goods from the Southern Isles have arrived, as promised by Hans. Elsa hadn't really talked about the amount that their kingdom will be giving hers, but when she saw how many there were, her mouth went agape. The Southern Isles had sent enough to feed two armies. She felt grateful for it and mentally noted down to call up the Corona kingdom to help her with the agricultural growth of her kingdom so she'd have something to pay the Southern Isles back.

Much to her dismay, neither Christian nor Hans came yesterday. Instead, Anderson did. Anderson was the least person she'd expect to meet on a Monday. Elsa never really liked his attitude. She has a feeling that he likes pushing people even though its beyond their obligation and she didn't like someone abusing their power. However, Anderson can be formal and quite serious about the trading and the mechanisms of it - which is a few points up for someone at the bottom of the family tree.

The only good thing about the weekend was that the winter was slowly being thawed. Whenever she's not on a meeting, she'd go to the gardens and practice controlling her powers. Every once in a while, she tried to thaw the garden and almost half of it is thawed now. Although she isn't sure if the kingdom itself is slowly being thawed, at least she knows that there's progress in thawing the kingdom. It was better than nothing, that's for sure. She'd have to thank Christian again for helping her in controlling _and _concealing her powers _without _the gloves. It was really heavenly not using gloves anymore.

While Elsa was organizing the trades from the Southern Isles yesterday in the ball room on a cold, winter morning, Olaf gave her an idea that would probably be the death of her.

"Maybe you should hold a ball in here tomorrow, Elsa!" Olaf suggested as he counted the apples in the wooden box. He suddenly frowned, not remembering what comes after twenty nine. Giving up with a small sigh, he turned to her. "You know... just to celebrate! New trading partners and all that. Wow, that'd be a scene."

Elsa pursed her lips as she marked something on her clipboard. "I'm not sure, Olaf. I mean, these goods have just arrived today. It's going to take a few days to settle everything in the kingdom with these."

"Really, Elsa, you've _got _to relax a bit." Olaf sat lazily on the floor. "You've been talking to people all weekend, which is weird, considering that you hate people."

"I don't hate people." Elsa defended, slightly offended. "I just... I'm not used to them."

"Uhuh," Olaf nodded, not convinced. "And now you have this heap of materials to count. Do yourself and your kingdom a favor. Open up the gates!"

"Olaf, the last time I opened up the gates I threw Hans out of the window due to irritation." Elsa interjected, remembering that very afternoon when Hans tried to get to her and the only way to get away from him was to throw him out through the window. "This time, I might throw innocent people out."

"You only threw Hans out because he was being annoying." Olaf reasoned as he stood up and waddled up to her. "Come on, Elsa! It'd be like a celebration because of the new trade partner. Plus, it's your birthday tomorrow."

Elsa's eyes widened. Call her crazy or insane, but she was probably the only queen existent who has forgotten when her own birthday is. "How did you know?"

"Um, Anna told me? She went on and on about you when we were travelling up to your ice palace." Olaf shrugged like it was general information. "That can be another reason to throw a ball tomorrow!"

With a sigh of defeat, she looked at the clipboard absent-mindly. It wouldn't hurt to have just _one _ball and another night to open up the gates. Besides... it's like a gratitude ball. "I'll think about it, okay? And I am _not _celebrating my birthday tomorrow."

"But Anna said -"

"Anna's right about my birthday being tomorrow. But really, I just want to center the attention of the ball towards this kingdom's gratitude for the Southern Isles's initiative in helping us. I don't want anyone knowing that it's my birthday tomorrow. That would mean people coming up to me and... well..."

"You're not a people person. I know, I know." Olaf chuckled. "But I'm glad to see you considering it. You really need to add some color into your life."

"Trust me, Olaf. I'm actually used to the bleak colors of ice surrounding me. I've lived half of my life staring at and fearing it." Elsa informed as she ticked a box on her list. She commanded one of the staff to carry off the counted materials to the town square for distribution. The staff called up for help from the other staffs in which moments later, half of the ballroom was cleared up.

"So?" Olaf prompted, waiting for Elsa's decision on the ball idea.

Gosh, Olaf was like a child to her... _literally__. _She did create him and made him alive. That counts as being his mother, right? With a small sigh of defeat, she smiled at Olaf and knelt down to his size. "Sure, little buddy. I'll hold a ball. But just _one_ night. No more than that, understand?"

Olaf's head off its body in excitement. "Oh, goodie! You know, I can help set up the decorations or help you make invitations. Everything needs to be in tip top shape for the ball. Oh, I've always wanted to be in happy gatherings next to wanting to have summer."

* * *

The smallest of a snowman's idea leads up to this cold, Tuesday night. The Gratitude Ball itself.

Since Olaf decided to help under the decorations department, he thought that a Masquerade Ball would be something grand to hold up to. Elsa had no complaints, though. It adds a mystery to it, since Arendelle has been quite a mysterious kingdom themselves for quite sometime since the death of the King and Queen. The wearing of masks can prove a better symbol out of it. Now, for a snowman who has very little experience in helping organize a ball, she'd have to say that he has a nice taste when it comes to colors and blending of curtains. He even volunteered to go over the food selection. Much to his dismay, he wasn't allowed to eat anything warm; which Elsa had warned him before he even tried.

All in one day yesterday, everything was prepared for the ball. Invitations were sent, menus were settled and her speech. Her rather long, gratifying speech was ready. All Elsa needed now was her sanity... and her gloves back.

Music blared from downstairs as Gerda helped her prepare for the ball in her room. Elsa told Gerda to sew up a simple and modest gown since she didn't want the center of attention on her... even if it is her birthday.

"Oh, your majesty!" Gerda exclaimed in delight as she took a step back to survey the dress she had sewed up months ago that Elsa was now wearing. The said gown was her supposed dress for her coronation. But when Elsa saw how too rosy it looked, Gerda felt a little safe because she had a back up dress in case her majesty didn't like the first dress she's offered.

"Gerda, it looks absolutely beautiful." Elsa complimented Gerda's sewing. The dress was periwinkle blue in color and the dress hugged at her waist, showing her delightful curves. Although it may look tight on her from afar, she actually felt comfortable with it as long as she can sit properly with it on. Fabric roses were embedded from her waist down to her thighs; and it flowed so beautifully, almost like a wedding gown. "I should know. You offered me this dress on my coronation day."

"Well, her majesty needs a wonderful dress to well fit this gratitude ball. And on top of that, it's your birthday." Gerda giggled as she began arranging the light blue snow pins on Elsa's french-fishtail braided hair. "Your mother would be so proud of you right now. May she and the king rest in peace."

"Thank you." Elsa smiled kindly as she stepped off the platform. Gerda handed her a simple blue and white masquerade mask. Instead of a mask that can be wrapped and tied around the head, it had a rod on the left side so that she can keep it on and off anytime she wanted to. When Gerda offered her her usual gloves, Elsa breathed out before shaking her head.

This was a night where she's going to risk it all.

After the finishing touches, Gerda escorted her downstairs where the ball was merely beginning. As trumpets resounded, the royal delegates that were dancing around halted and turned to face the throne before them.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Queen Elsa of Arendelle." Kai announced.

Elsa walked in gracefully with a small, humble smile on her face. With masks everywhere, it was impossible to recognize who is who. The only person she recognized in the crowd was Kristoff, since she was the one who chose his tux for him and had to, say, "force" him to join the ball. Honestly, she likes to keep it that way. Perhaps the _masquerade _wasn't such a bad idea after all. Three points for Olaf who's currently administrating the menus to be served for tonight's ball. At least he was staying out of the kitchen and staying out of sight from delegates.

After the crowd applauded, Elsa began with her speech. Although she'd forgotten a few lines, due to that the ball was rather spontaneous and a little rushed, she did her traditional ad lib towards the rest of the speech. When it was over, the crowd applauded again and slow music began to play as pairs began to dance in the middle of the ball room.

Before she could take a seat on her throne, a well-dressed delegate in a black tuxedo offered her a dance. The voice was very recognizable and when Elsa asked for the lad to unveil his red masquerade mask, she saw that it was Christian. With a small, giddy laugh; she took his hand as he lead her towards the dance floor.

"I must say, your highness; you have quite a lovely taste when it comes to colors and interior designing." Christian complimented as he twirled her around. "The blending is rather... pleasing to the eyes."

"Oh, I didn't do that." Elsa said humbly. "Olaf did all the designing, the menu picking and the music. I was merely the invitation and half of all the others. I'm surprised he can do so much of that in just one day and half a morning."

"Well then. You've created quite a snowman." Christian chuckled as he pulled her flush against him, causing her to blush lightly. "Where is the little guy anyway?"

"Doing all the organizing as we speak." Elsa replied, wondering how he was doing and how the staff was dealing with a talking snowman. She could only hope that the staff had already gotten used to him waddling around that they've decided to take orders from him. "I really want to thank you and your brothers for everything, really. Because of that, half of my people look up to me again and they've been seeing some... changes."

"Ah, yes. The _changes._" Christian emphasized. "Half of the fjord is melting and we all know it's not because of the summer heat. That's what slightly made it possible for these people to come to your kingdom's ball. You're starting to thaw your kingdom little by little."

"That's some progress." Elsa mocked herself.

"Elsa," Christian called for her attention before cupping his hand under her chin to make her look up to him. Darn, he was tall. "It's more progress than any queen existent would do. You're doing well in controlling your powers. Although it may need a few tinkering here and there, but otherwise, you've done wonderfully."

"It's all thanks to you." Elsa offered a small smile. "I really don't know what I'd do without you."

"Neither do I." Christian replied as he twirled her again. This caused her to have her backed turned on him, flush. He then leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Never have I met someone so remarkably beautiful who shares the same powers as I."

Suddenly, she felt frost build under her heels and when Christian moved her away from that area, she saw trails of ice. With wide eyes, she turned to face Christian now. "If you'll excuse me, Christian. I... I just need to get some fresh air."

Christian's face morphed in sad disappointment. "Oh, well. I'll come with you."

"No, no," Elsa held up a hand as she raised a fabric of her gown up for her to walk properly with her other hand. "I just need to be alone for... well, a few minutes."

Before she can allow Christian to say anything, Elsa had already left. When she felt her stomach rumble, which was the first time she's heard it that way, she grabbed herself a few chocolates on a bowl and a glass of champagne before proceeding to get herself some fresh air.

Elsa thanked her lucky stars that the place that she wanted to get some air from is vacant of delegates. The music from the ballroom still reached the balcony, but it was only a mere whisper away now. With a sigh of relief, she placed her chocolates, champagne and masquerade mask on top of the balcony's railings and sat along side it; cautious not to fall.

From afar, Arendelle looks like a winter wonderland. Half of the town was covered in snow whilst the other half was on the verge of a thaw. It has been a long time since she saw what her kingdom looked like from high above. Perhaps it was because she was too isolated that she thought she wasn't going to get the crown. But she was older than Anna, meaning she's going to get it despite her not wanting to. When she looked down, she saw people dancing in merriment near the still frozen fountain that she had accidentally touched when she was running away from everyone. It was one night she'd rather not remember, so she looked away from it and just watched in silence the warm lights of the homes in the town.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't her highness."

The voice caught her off guard, which almost made her fall off the balcony. Fortunately, warm arms had grabbed a hold of her waist, pulling her back. When she turned to look who it was, she frowned and slapped the person's arms off of her. When she checked on her stuff, she found that her mask had trampled off the balcony and down towards the dancing people.

"You almost killed me. _And _you killed my mask." Elsa remarked, annoyed as she slipped herself off her current position and stood. "But then again, I wouldn't be surprised. You did try to kill me before."

"Still can't get over that, huh?" Hans asked with a chuckle as he removed his black masquerade mask. Unlike Christian, his outfit was the complete opposite because he wore a white tuxedo. She thought that they should have switched colors since she of all people should know that Hans is the dark one, not Christian. "I'm a changed man, actually; and I don't intend to do anymore of that."

"I don't believe you." Elsa laughed sarcastically as she turned her back on him. She popped a chocolate ball into her mouth and said between chews, "If my people had trusted me even during this winter, you'd be imprisoned for attempted murder of the queen."

"But I'm not." Hans said the obvious. "Like I said, some things made me... change; if not for the better."

"Oh, really?" Elsa tried to sound interested despite the opposite of it. "What made you change?"

"Well, that's vital information to give out now, isn't it, your highness?" Hans asked as he stood alongside her. His eyes trailed along the entirety of Arendelle and eventually landed on Elsa. "But I'll humor you. It's my brothers."

"All twelve of them?" Elsa asked, truly surprised now. "I thought you hated them."

"No, they hated _me_. Three of them even pretended I was invisible for two years." Elsa could recall Christian telling her that during lunch last week. "Eventually I started hating them. How would you feel if you get ignored because you're the youngest?"

"I'm not really sure." Elsa shook her head. "I'm usually the one who shuts doors on people's faces. To top that, I'm the eldest."

"Let's say you were in Anna's shoes." Hans tried as he crossed his arms on his chest. "What would it be like?"

It took a few minutes before Elsa could answer, "Broken. But that doesn't make any difference. I'm just as broken if I go back to my own shoes."

"Aren't we all broken?" Hans asked, shaking his head disappointingly. "We all know the reason why you had to keep the door closed."

That was a touchy subject and merely something Elsa doesn't want to talk about. It's not really a subject to be proud of. "I was trying to protect her."

"And that's reasonable." Hans nodded. "My brothers? They shut me out because they're too busy for family. All they care about is the laws here, some queens to marry there and some people to feed on another universe."

"All because of that, you were hell-bent for power." Elsa deadpanned. "You were 13th in line for the throne. You needed to marry a queen to get somewhere. It was all according to plan to you, wasn't it? You heard there was coronation in a neighboring kingdom and the next thing you know, you've jumped on an opportunity of a lifetime."

Hans shrugged. "It was full proof."

"Tarnished when you couldn't kill me." Elsa arched a brow. "I'm sorry that killing me was so impossible. At least you got one down and one more to go, right?"

"Elsa..."

"You're a sick monster."

"Aren't you one as well? Killing your sister-"

"It was an accident!"

"Ignorance of one's actions excuses no one. Not even you, your _highness_."

"Ignorance of one's conscience excuses no one. You could have helped her!"

"And what good would that do? It was never true love. It's not like anyone ever loved her."

"I do. You could have brought her to me!"

"You escaped your prison."

"That's not the point!"

Silence fell and eventually, their argument simmered down. Elsa grabbed her glass of champagne and sipped on it slowly, as if that would help her calm her nerves. But it didn't. It just fired up everything that was flammable within her. She was so angry, she swear she thought of throwing Hans off the balcony this time. Gods, he was so infuriating and yet, Pabbie expects her to fall in love with _this man_? This man that half killed her sister? This man that wanted to kill her from the very beginning? This man that wanted her kingdom all to himself? It was a preposterous thought.

Elsa was just about to say something horrifically insulting to Hans until he suddenly muttered under his breath, "I'm sorry."

"Haven't your parents ever taught you that sorry is just a word unless you mean it?" Elsa turned to him and saw that he was looking down with an expressionless face. "Sorry also doesn't count if you kill someone."

"I know." Hans pursed his lips before looking up to stare at Arendelle. "But I'm not saying sorry for whatever I did to your sister. That'll have to wait."

"Then what are you saying sorry for?" Elsa asked quietly, taking a chocolate ball from her bowl.

"This argument." Hans snorted.

"Well that's a start." Elsa popped a chocolate in her mouth as silently as possible. "This isn't how I expected the night would go."

"I thought it'd be livelier." Hans commented as he started fishing something out of his pocket.

"You're in Arendelle, Hans." Elsa shook her head, smiling rather sarcastically. "Nothing is lively here."

"Maybe it should start with the queen herself." Hans said as he finally produced a baby blue box with a white ribbon wrapped around it out of his pocket. He placed the box near Elsa's bowl of chocolates.

"What's this?" Elsa asked, arching a brow as she pointed at the box.

"Your birthday gift." Hans tried a smile. Elsa's eyes widened in horror. Oh no. If Hans knows, then... then all the others know. "I thought you might need someone who... I don't know. Gives a care, perhaps? I'm surprised you didn't add up your birthday in the celebration purpose of the ball."

"How do you even know it's today?" Elsa asked dubiously. Only very few people knew when her birthday is. That'd have to be Anna, Olaf, Kristoff, her parents _and _the staff.

"I... uh, asked the staff." Hans scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "You have no idea how much I had to pester Gerda last week just to take that one little information. Gods, that woman can be a stone sometimes."

"Um..." Elsa stared at the box, slightly baffled. She never really liked gifts, even though her parents often showered her with countless of them just to make her happy. Little do they know that material things is not as often the key to her happiness. Sometimes, it's people. "Thank you, I guess? I just... I'm not really into gifts."

"Yes, Gerda told me." Hans chuckled lightly as he lifted the lid off the box.

Even though Elsa mentally promised not to act happy about gifts, her eyes widened in delight once she saw what was inside. It was a simple, ice colored snowflake attached on a thin, silver lace. Despite not being a materialist, this gift was beyond anything her parents had attempted to give her. Her parents gave her extravagant materials, which Elsa wasn't fond of. But maybe it was within her that the only materialistic gift that she actually likes were simple, beautiful trinkets.

"Oh, wow," Elsa swallowed as she ran the tips of her fingers on the snowflake. It was cold, almost as cold as ice. The texture was smooth and rough at the same time, which felt good. "I don't know what to say. As stereotypical as it may sound, I just..."

"Most people just say thank you." Hans smirked as he removed the necklace from the box. "May I?"

"Um..." Elsa turned awkwardly and she felt the cold snowflake figure on the necklace land just below her collarbones. Once the necklace was attached, she looked at it in admiration. "Thank you, then. It's really... really beautiful."

"Much like you, I should say." Hans whispered against her ear, causing Elsa to blush. But she cleared her throat, forcing the blush to fade. "May I ask you something?"

"Go ahead." Elsa swallowed as she turned to look at him.

"Are you and Christian..." Hans trailed off, looking over Arendelle with pursed lips. "Developing?"

"Developing?" Elsa arched a curious brow. She really didn't know how Hans would put _developing. _Did he mean developing their powers or... oh. She bit her lip before looking down. "Um... I'm not sure. Are we supposed to?"

Hans smiled sadly. "By now, you should be. He always gets what he wants."

"I'm confused." Elsa shook her head.

"To put it in simpler terms," Hans sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. "He always... and I mean _always _gets the attention of the ones I love. All of my brothers do. I'm surprised Anderson hadn't attempted yet. He usually does, despite his wife."

Before Elsa could say anything, it became a _speak of the devil _scenario. Christian came bursting into the balcony without a care. He seemed to almost have tripped the moment he saw her and Hans. There was a small, awkward silence between the three of them as they stared at each other to and fro; waiting for at least one or two to start talking.

Christian cleared his throat awkwardly. "I apologize for interrupting, but..."

"No, you don't need to." Hans interrupted before putting his mask back on. He then turned to Elsa, took her hand and planted a small kiss on the back of it. With his mask on, it was hard for Elsa to figure out the expression he was holding up. But under obvious circumstances, it must be glum. "Excuse me, your highness."

He and Christian exchanged dirty looks at each other before Hans finally left.

"That's quite some tension you have there." Elsa observed as she finished her champagne. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, everything's fine." Christian forced a smile before offering his arm. "Come, Elsa. A Gratitude Ball is nothing without its queen."

With a heavy heart, Elsa looked at Arendelle one last time before she took a hold of Christian's arm, in which he lead her back into the busy ballroom.

* * *

_To be continued..._

* * *

**AN: **This chapter will probably open new scars (questions), so I'll try to answer them via PM as much as I possibly can. Till' then, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and leave reviews if you have time. Let me know what events connected to this chapter would _you _like to see on the next chapter.

Also, I'm promoting my little program called **12 Days of Frozen** **Drabbles.** I have currently written three for three days. Check them out on my list of stories. They are entitled _Wedding Dress, Hot Cocoa _and _Whisper. _The drabbles will center different characters/pairs each day.

So, that'll be all for now. Thank you for reading. Tune in this week for the next chapter. ^^


	6. Christian's Cold

**Of Frozen Bitterness**

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**Chapter Six: Christian's Cold  
week three (x); one more week**

**AN: **I hope you all won't kill me after writing this chapter. Don't worry, no one's going to die... yet. I'm just kidding. This chapter is a semi-climax (or so I think it is). But anyway, thank you for the amazing reviews. Since this chapter is slightly short (yet full of emotional turmoil), you get an early update. Three cheers for that, haha! Anyway, here's a chapter and I hope you'll all enjoy it.

_PS. Best viewed in 3/4 screen option on the website itself._

* * *

**Week Three, Tuesday**

"Welcome back, Kristoff!"

The trolls cheered delightfully as they began to huddle over to Kristoff, who was already struggling in carrying two, wait - make that _three _baby trolls on his shoulders. Some of them started poking his face, while the others were attempting to tear at his clothes. Olaf chuckled beside Elsa before waddling over to a stray group of baby trolls who were jumping up and down happily once they saw Olaf approaching.

"I'm sorry. They're _usually _like this." Kristoff called apologetically to Elsa, who was staying behind, watching Kristoff get raided by the trolls.

"They weren't this sprightly when I was a child." Elsa laughed softly.

While the rest of the trolls were busy with Kristoff and the others were busy with Olaf, a rock with Spanish moss rolled over to her. When it stopped just a few inches from her, it popped open to reveal Pabbie. Pabbie looked around and saw the amount of excitement in the valley upon seeing Kristoff. He shook his head, as if the event was something he'd gotten rather used to.

"Good morning, your highness." Pabbie bowed lightly. "I apologize for this certain phenomena. They're... how should I put this? Rather hyper whenever Kristoff comes back. He rarely comes here anymore, since he's been busy with his ice business."

"I had no idea you adopted him." Elsa smiled. "Kristoff thought it'd be best if I came along after breakfast. He told me you wanted to know my progress with Hans?"

"Ah, yes. He's a smart boy. Come, walk with me." Pabbie said as he went ahead and Elsa followed suit.

They got away from the crowd of trolls only to arrive in a meadow of poppies and dandelions. It was a remarkable view and it was quite relaxing. If she had known a place as such existed, she would have come here countless times just to admire its beauty. A bunny popped his head out of a bush, followed by another head; and with that they sprinted off the bush and began rolling into the warm grass. After doing so, they started chasing each other from afar.

"It's been two weeks since I came to Anna's... well, I suppose you know what I mean." Pabbie started as he plucked a poppy off its stem. "Please do tell, your highness. It'd be a privilege to know what's been going on."

Without much hesitation, Elsa set off into her story. She started the story when Hans came back the next day with his brothers about the trading partner situation. Then, she went on telling Pabbie about Christian, who shares the same powers as her. When Pabbie asked if he knew about it, he simply nodded and barely explained any more of it. Not that she was asking for an explanation or anything, but at least something to clear it up. All Pabbie told her is that Christian had better control of his powers ever since he accidentally hurt Hans when they were kids.

After she told the happenings on the first week, she began bolting into the second week. She told him about the Gratitude Ball and how Hans and Christian stayed in the palace all week the way they did on the first week. When Elsa began with Christian helping her control her powers, Pabbie rubbed his fingers under his jaw, like the story itself is unconvincing to him. But she went on. She explained there was more interaction between her and Hans on the second week. Anyone with two bright eyes can see and understand how the two of them have been "hanging out" as Olaf likes to put it.

The night after the Gratitude Ball, Hans started visiting her office every once in a while to check on the trading system. He'd often report that a certain area of the town needed some specific materials and that some distributions should go over to the farms if Elsa wanted to pay the Southern Isles back with agricultural materials. Henceforth, last week to her whilst being with Hans was quite serious. It mainly focused on the trades and how it's helping the social system of Arendelle move. Hans would constantly perk up a humorous conversation here and there, though. In fact, he even invited her to have a walk with him along the beach of Arendelle, which was now completely thawed thanks to her training with Christian.

"Hans is a complicated human being, Pabbie." Elsa shook her head. "He's confusing. He's smart. He's... as of right now, I can't even elaborate him. He's a can of everything; infuriating, deceitful, preposterous yet concerned, helpful and I hate to say it... _sweet_."

"Do I sense a development?" Pabbie asked with a small smile.

"Oh?" Elsa asked before sitting on the warm grass. It was surprising how her blizzard slash eternal winter hadn't affected some parts of the Valley of the Living Rock. Perhaps it was due to Pabbie's powers that they weren't as affected as all of Arendelle. "Actually, I think I might be, um. Just, well, just _maybe_ having more development with his brother."

"Christian?" Pabbie questioned, his brows furrowing. At this point, Elsa felt slightly intimidated by the look he was giving her. He's been frowning lately whenever she mentions Christian. She still doesn't know why he would. "What makes you say that?"

"Christian's been helping me a lot lately. As you can see, Arendelle is almost thawed thanks to him. I've been doing all the thawing lately with the help of the tricks he had taught me upon training me." Elsa bit her bottom lip. "I suppose what I'm trying to say is that maybe _he _might be just the act of true love I've been waiting for."

"Are you developing any romantic feelings towards him?"

"I may be. It's possible. Plus, he didn't try to kill my sister... or me. Pabbie, I think it's Christian that I have to fall in love with and him with me. I know you said it's Hans, but maybe there's a possible loophole to it. It can't be _just _Hans, right?"

"I suppose that's true, your highness. But are you sure about Christian? Does your gut, well, _heart _believe that he can be your key to thawing Anna?"

"I'm sure of it."

For a moment, it sounded almost like a lie to her. But Christian... wow. He's been more than helpful. He's been everything good to her all week. If she hadn't met him, pray do tell that she wouldn't be earning her people's trust back due to the progress they've been seeing on thawing Arendelle. If she hadn't met him, she wouldn't learn how to control her powers that are often triggered when something emotional captures her. Things would still be completely chaotic if it hadn't been for him. Plus, Christian's the closest key to helping her thaw Anna herself.

It's got to be Christian, right?

Pabbie blew out a breath. "Well, I cannot contradict her majesty's emotions towards a person. If you feel that Christian is your act of true love, then don't hesitate. Just as long as you know that it's your heart that's saying he's the one and not just your head."

"I can assure you that my heart's been leaping since then. It's unnatural." Elsa offered a smile.

"Remember, Elsa. You only have this week and the next before Anna is forever frozen. Time management truly is everything. You must affirm yourself with your true love, otherwise, all of this means nothing." Pabbie gravely informed. "Another thing. There is, however, one slight flaw that may intervene with your act of true love."

Elsa's brows furrowed worriedly. "What would that be, Pabbie?"

"The real question, above all things when it comes to Prince Christian is that..." Pabbie trailed off before looking up to Elsa with exasperated eyes. "Does _he _lack his own act of true love?"

* * *

**Week Three, Wednesday**

"Thaw the fountain."

"Christian, I can't."

"You keep saying I can't, in the end you're gonna end up failing. How you were able to build an optimistic snowman is beyond me, your highness. Quite contrary to what you are."

"I built him with Anna when we were kids. We were happy back then. Also, I built him before I built my ice palace. I was also happy that time. Seriously, though, don't question his optimism."

"If you say so."

Christian took Elsa's hands from behind her and made her face her palms towards the frozen fountain. It was the same fountain Elsa had frozen in during her coronation night. "Now, I want you to picture this fountain flowing gracefully like it did before you froze it. Picture its majestic waters sprinkling over the building bowl of water under it. Remove it, feel it..."

Elsa imagined the flowing water of the fountain on the night of her coronation. It was a little vague to make out due to the people that were surrounding her, but she kept on it.

Christian whispered, "_Thaw it_."

With a flick of her fingers, bits of ice lifted off the frozen water. The spikes at the base of the fountain began to melt. Seconds later, the lifted ice burst into nothing and the sound of water flowing loudly began to resound in the quiet area. Elsa's eyes widened. Yet again, another thawed material. She turned to Christian and thanked him with a gratifying smile.

"You think that's enough to thaw your sister?" Christian asked.

Elsa swallowed. "Oh, I - I don't know. But about that; can you tell me what really happened to Hans that made him know about the trolls? It's only for... analysis purposes. I'm trying to scrutinize the details of the trolls' magic."

"You should know yourself, Elsa. You've been there." Christian chuckled as he took her hand and lead her to sit on the base of the fountain. "But I don't mind telling. I was nine years old then, Hans was seven. I noticed how oddly our brothers have been treating him and thought... what's so bad about Hans? Why do they keep ignoring him? So, I tried to befriend him, since I only talk to him when it's important or if mother calls us. But anyway, I thought; "Hey, he's my brother. I might as well try to make good", so to speak."

"That's really sweet of you." Elsa complimented.

"Yes, well, I try to be friendly as possible." Christian nodded. "Anyway, we were practically best friends for an entire year. Then it was January, the month of basically all of our birthdays. When I mean all, I mean _all _thirteen of us. Countless birthdays past and the next thing you know, January 10 - Hans's birthday. Of course, being a big family and all, birthdays are the only things that brings us closer together and it's the only month where everyone shines. Since it was still winter, I made a winter wonderland for Hans in the middle of the kingdom.

"Slides and swings made out of ice, an ice rink - you get the picture. Being a winter fan and all, Hans loved it. So when I was playing with him, a bunch of our cousins came bounding up to us. Since Hans was the youngest, he was often bullied. Our cousins are usually the ones that bullies him. Of course, me being the kind one, I tried to defend Hans. At that point, our cousins were physically hurting him now. Without much hesitation, I tried to freeze one of my cousins when he had Hans on a headlock. Unfortunately, I had horrible aim; so instead of hitting my cousin, I hit Hans's head. Which was an _accident_. My cousins claimed that I meant it, which was quite annoying since they started the whole _barging in_ charade."

This reminded her of accidentally hitting Anna on the head while she was making snow towers in catching her sister who jumped aimlessly. Of course, it was an accident. She slipped on her own ice, which was quite ironic, to say the least. Elsa cleared her throat and nodded, urging for Christian to go on.

"Mother found out and she got mad at me. Not that she should be _that _mad. I mean... she never really cared about Hans. Heck, when she gave birth to Hans, she said she was so done with giving birth for the 13th time that it made Hans some sort of like a bad luck to her. Rumors even have it that she almost died giving birth to Hans."

"You make it sound like he's the 13th wheel." Elsa said, slightly horrified.

"As horrible as it sounds, he is." Christian said bluntly, like it was just nothing. "Moving on. You know about my mother, Hans and I coming here in Arendelle. Then these trolls, especially this great troll named Pabbie, started telling me that I should learn to control my powers and all that. Originally, he said that he was going to remove memories of my magic from Hans's mind. I interjected, of course. It would just be horrible if Hans forgot the smallest of happy moments. I had to force my mother to tell Pabbie not to. Since I promised that it won't happen again, he didn't remove Hans's memories."

"That's..." Elsa trailed off, finding it slightly unfair. Pabbie had to remove Anna's memories of Elsa's magic just to keep Anna safe. Why didn't Pabbie do it to Hans?

"Hans got healed. He was a little better, I think. He still felt cold about it and for some reason, he got mad at me for hitting him. I tried telling him it was an accident, but then he started crying." Christian rolled his eyes. "Ever since the incident, mother became overprotective over Hans and every other son of hers. Even though Hans was always ignored, I was the odd one because of my powers. But I shouldn't care, because I love my powers. Since then, she told me to stop using my powers, which was impossible of course. I can't just _not _use my powers. They're a part of me. In fact I... I don't even know how I got my powers. They said I was just born with it. But moving on... Hans and I never talked anymore after that."

"And you don't regret it?" Elsa asked.

"It was an overbearing memory." Christian pursed his lips. "I'll tell you that. Forget it? Yes, I did; until this moment. Regret it? Barely. Because of Hans's dramatic fiasco on the whole accident, my mother locked me up in my room unless I learned to stop using my powers. She locked me in there for three years. The only time she released me was on the day of your coronation."

"I'm sure Hans tried to talk your mother into letting you out, right?" Elsa questioned, her eyes wide in surprise. "You were close before. He _must _owe you that much, right?"

"Oh, he did try to tell mother to let me out. But my mother is strict with everything, so evidently she refused." Christian shook his head. "All because of that accident, I lost the trust of my mother and the majority of my brothers's trust. Sometimes, I wish I could have hit his heart. Pabbie did say that that could have killed him."

"Christian!" Elsa exclaimed, horrified as she stood. "You don't mean that."

"Yes, I _do._" Christian pressed with conviction. "Because of Hans, I never got to show everyone the wonders of my powers. Because of Hans, he made me a laughing stock in the family for being locked up. All of the mayhem in my life is all because of _him._"

"_You _hit him." Elsa reasoned angrily. "It's your fault you couldn't aim well. If there's anyone to be blamed, it should be you. You can't keep blaming Hans for everything that's a disaster to you now. You could have at least felt relieved that he was okay and that he didn't die."

"Well, I wanted him dead after three years. I blame him for all of this. He's the 13th wheel. He's the bad luck. That's why nobody loved him and look where that got him here in Arendelle. He's hell-bent for power because he thought that he wasn't getting enough attention. Unfortunate for him, he can never succeed at _anything._" Christian snapped. "But I can't hurt him, much less fleck a frost in his head. Why? Because he's got someone to protect him."

"What are you-"

Christian shook his head, maniacally chuckling at the same time. "Don't act stupid, Elsa. Anyone with a pair of eyes can see the romantic tension between the two of you. With the certain obvious, you're bound to protect him if I even dared touch a hair of him."

"Why would I protect someone who killed my own sister?" Elsa spat.

"Oh, your highness. That's quite ironic coming from you. Forgive me for saying this, but _you _killed your own sister." Christian shook his head, smiling. "It's true that you shouldn't protect someone who, per say, _killed _your sister. But in the end of it all, you're too kind to go hell-bent for revenge. Hasn't it occurred to you that you haven't _punished _him for his actions?"

"Nobody would believe me, and they wouldn't believe something they haven't seen."

"Ah, yes! But why - why not freeze his heart, like you did with your sister? Why not impale him with your ice shards? You've got the power! Why not use it to your advantage?"

"Because I don't intend to use my powers to hurt people!"

"_Or_... because you've grown to believe in Hans's kindness too much that the thought of revenge is merely a black idea in your heart."

"I... I don't love him."

Christian arched a brow. "Well, won't that be a shame in the process of thawing Anna?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I know about the "requirements" in thawing Anna. I know that Pabbie wants you to fall in love with Hans. I know everything that is about you, your sister and your kingdom."

"That impossible -"

"It's sweet how you've considered to have fallen in love with _me_. But to tell you the truth, your highness. I'm not into platinum blondes."

"I don't care about ever falling in love with you now. I want to know how on earth you managed to find all of that. That's supposed to be... supposed to be _private_."

"I have my spies in the Valley of the Living Rock, your highness. You think that knowing my brother's motives towards your kingdom, I wasn't going to do anything about it? Sure, he may look like he would succeed. But once I found out that he's failed - it was the perfect opportunity to tear him apart. When he asked our father to help your kingdom with the tradings, it was _too _easy. All I needed to do was be charming and lead your mind elsewhere. Possibly convince you to kill Hans yourself, so I wouldn't have to do all the dirty work. But it seems that Hans has been doing his research and has decided to woo you. You are _just _as gullible."

"Hans is a lot less worse than you are. He's changed."

"Has he really? Don't be fooled by his... _charms. _He may look like he might be falling for you, but open your eyes, your highness. He's a psychopath. Keep in mind that Hans manipulated your sister. What makes you think he won't do the same to you?"

Before Elsa could even say anything else, Christian began walking away. Elsa felt furious. Christian is just as a horrible person as Hans... as Hans _was. _Christian doesn't care about anything anymore and he's become more of a monster than Hans ever was. The surprising turn of events were too much for Elsa, she could have sworn she could feel herself collapsing; but her anger went on.

"I am **not **done talking to you, _Prince_." Elsa seethed as she flicked her hand and locked the doors that Christian was supposed to open. Ice blocked the center of the double doors, making it impossible to open. Christian turned to her with a deceitful smile.

"In case you are... how should I put this? _In love _with him?" Christian asked, smirking ever so sarcastically that she wanted to punch his nose. "I've only got one sad news for you, your majesty."

"Humor me." Elsa challenged. Soon enough, the fountain that she had recently thawed began to have frosts crawling on the base and into the water. "I'd like to hear what this sad news of yours is."

Christian pursed his lips and flicked a finger. The ice that Elsa made on the double doors quickly melted. "You might want to find someone else to fall in love with other than him. Because he's engaged and he's getting married next week. Rumor has it, next week's your deadline in thawing Anna. Unless you have some other man in mind, please do story-tell me. I'd love to hear you find someone you'll love and someone who'll actually love a monster like you back within a week."

* * *

_To be continued..._

* * *

**AN: **Honesty hour; I never meant for Christian to be the bad guy... until I started plotting non-stop. Now I have a full scale (slightly humurous) outline for the last two chapters of this story. Next chapter will be the climax of the story and it will contain some heartbroken Iceburns/Hansla/Helsa feelings and Christian-hating moments. At this point, I might stop writing drabbles just so I can succeed in completing this one story. But anyways, reviews are **love **and I'd like to hear what you think about this chapter. I'm really starting to get into the jive of this story, so inspirational/motivational pushes are plus points for early updates.

Thank you for reading and tune in for the next chapter! ^^


	7. Acts of True Love

**Of Frozen Bitterness**

* * *

**Chapter 7: Acts of True Love  
week three & week four**

**AN: **You guys are _love_ and I really appreciate the amazing reviews I've gotten for Chapter Six. I bet you didn't see that coming? But for those who've seen it coming - you've got a smart mind, I'm telling you! This chapter is bound to be a little long because I'm putting up two days of week three and one day of week four in here. I also apologize if this update is quite later than necessary (extremely later than necessary). I had writer's block for a few days due to the fact that I didn't know how to start the chapter and I had the flu which was hard to mend. But I'm back now, so I hope the long-ness makes up for my time of absence. So with that, enjoy reading!

_PS. Best viewed in 3/4 screen option on the website itself._

* * *

**Week Three, Thursday**

Elsa had a fascination for small, decadent sweets. It was just easy to say that she's gotten so used to palace sweets that she had never given regular sweets a chance of a taste bud. But now that she had come out of the castle to check on her people, Hans pulled her into the local bakery. Why was Hans with her, should you ask? Seemingly during his and Christian's stay in Arendelle, Hans had been the one helping her distribute and manage the goods that the Southern Isles have traded with the said kingdom. Elsa was obviously expectant of Christian to help her in that category instead of Hans. Apparently, all the Prince wanted to do was use her to tear Hans apart. _  
_

As if she hasn't thought of tearing him apart herself.

Although ever since the incident with Anna, she promised herself never to use her powers against someone unless it's self defense. The thought is remarkable and it lit her dark side - killing Hans just like he did with Anna? That would have been the greatest moment in her life. It would have been the sheer pleasure of beautiful revenge. But in the end, in the end of its bitterness overall - she can't hurt him. Scratch that... _won't _hurt him, because he's her last shot in thawing Anna.

That is, until Christian told her that he was engaged.

"I've been coming here since last week." Hans mentioned as he ordered two slices of chocolate mousse cake from the counter. "You won't believe how amazing their sweets are here, especially their chocolates! And we all know her highness fancies the sweet delicacy of a bonbon. Elsa?"

Elsa snapped out of her musings before nodding briefly, "That sounds wonderful. I'd love to have a taste of this bakery's sweets."

"You most definitely should." Hans lead her towards a table near the window where you can see a view of the town square. Just as they sat, Hans went on, "It's unbelievable how well it's crafted. Such succulent food should be treasured in a palace."

"Yes, of course." Elsa murmured absent-mindly as she stared down at the children playing in the snow. It reminded her so much of Anna back when they were little girls. For a moment, she felt a tear slip down her cheek. But she quickly wiped it away before Hans could see. Oh, how she missed her sister.

Just the thought of Anna made her feel desperate about the "act of true love" fiasco. How on earth was she going to find someone she loves... and loves her back in less than a week? She was given a _month_. A _month_ - and she wasted it believing that she can alter Pabbie's assumption that she has to fall in love with Hans. Now that the month was coming to a close, she can feel the fear claw at her throat ferociously. She was hopeless... absolutely hopeless. Now the one person that Pabbie recommended was going to slip off her grasp and she can't do anything about it.

"Are you sure?" Hans asked, not buying her words. Without much hesitation, he took her hand in his across the table and squeezed it lightly. "You've been so off since last night, you barely finished signing contracts."

Elsa opened her mouth, hoping something would come out, but to no avail. Instead, Hans deadpanned, "Kai told me that you and Christian were arguing yesterday. Elsa, if he's bothering you; you know I can talk to him about it and help you two make amends."

"I don't wish to have a pity party with him." Elsa grunted and she felt herself grip Hans' hand. When she saw his face contort in slight pain, she pulled away. "Much less interact with him in any form or manner. Perhaps... you were right about your brothers."

"When was I ever wrong when it comes to sibling judgement?" Hans smirked before morphing his expression into seriousness. "But, being serious here, what were you two arguing about?"

"I can't tell you." Elsa mumbled just as their slice of chocolate cakes arrived. Although they look delectable, the thought of Christian is just too depressing to drown in sweet pastry.

"You can't or you _won't_?"

"Hans, please..."

Thankfully, Hans let it go... for now. Elsa had a feeling he was going to ask her again, but during a time in which she's not entirely pissed off or at the point of pitying herself. They ate their chocolate cakes silently and after doing so, they started discussing the next few parts of town that they needed to check on to see the progress of the goods. It was sad how everything ends up in strictly business between them. How on earth was she going to make this pompous prince fall in love with her?

Why must thawing require so much of the impossible?

"Christian told me that... you're engaged." Elsa quaked between bites of chocolate cake.

Hans almost choked on his piece when he heard Elsa's statement.

Elsa read his reaction and swallowed her munched up cake like it was sand. "Is it... is it true?"

He put his fork down before staring out to look at the children playing in the snow. "Yes."

For a moment, she heard the faintest of sadness in his voice - but that could be just her thinking it. And for another moment, it was a _for the the first time in forever_ feeling. Because never has she felt more torn apart than she is now. Elsa was beginning to question herself as to why Hans's confirmation on his engagement felt so much like a burden on her chest. She tried to punch her heart mentally, wondering why it felt so heavy to hear it from Hans himself.

Oh no. Could it be? It can't possibly be...

"That's wonderful news! Congratulations!" Elsa perked up as cheerfully as possible, despite the small... humongous burden she feels. "What's her name? Where is she from?"

Is she... _jealous_?

"Her name is Victoria. She's from the Northern Isles. Her kingdom's one of the Southern Isles's greatest trading partners." Hans informed as he cut a chunk out of his chocolate cake.

Oh.

"Oh," Elsa said oddly. "Is she a Princess?"

"No," Hans muttered. "She's a Queen."

Double _Oh._

* * *

**Week Three, Friday**

"So he just flats out tells you that he _is_ engaged?" Kristoff asked dubiously, as if that ever surprised him.

"Was he bluffing?" Olaf asked in an interrogation-like manner. "Cause some guys bluff when they say they're engaged. Not that I know, of course. I mean, I read in a book that you'll never know unless..."

"Guys, please," Elsa sighed, tired of them bombarding her with questions. She went to them for emotional help, not an interrogation slash pity party. "Look, he seems happy about it, okay? Just _please _help me get through this."

Olaf waddled over to a bookshelf and started running his twig fingers on the spines of each book. He suddenly tipped one green book off the shelf and waddled back towards where Elsa and Kristoff sat. "Since Christian is off the list and much to our disbelief, _Hans _is out as well. We have to start finding you a fresh, decent man who's going to love you for who you really are and you with him back."

"Olaf, we have less than a week to find Elsa's true love. It's going to be impossible to find someone else." Kristoff scratched his head. "I thought for sure Christian would do you good. I'm sorry I was wrong."

"It's not your fault." Elsa pursed her lips as she opened the green book Olaf had brought to them. It was a list of Princes and Kings. Some of them, although the book says they're single, are already married. There were unfortunately very few Princes and Kings left - and much to her misfortune, their kingdoms takes a week or more to travel. "I really thought I can alter Pabbie's assumption. Perhaps I've been too prideful about the situation that it lead me to absolutely nothing."

"Pabbie's never wrong... _never_." Kristoff mused to himself. "If he says Hans... it _must _be him."

"But he's engaged." Elsa reasoned helplessly.

"Do you love him?" Kristoff suddenly asked.

"Excuse me?"

"There's no other way here, Elsa. Do you love him?"

"I..." Elsa bit her lip. It took her a few seconds before answering as stoically as possible. "No."

Olaf lifted his head and said, "You hesitated."

"What?" Elsa arched a brow. "No, I didn't. Look, it doesn't matter if I do or not - it's too late."

"Elsa, the only problem with you is that it's always too late." Kristoff deadpanned and she could have sworn she felt embarrassed hearing that from him. No matter how much she tries to deny it from the outside, she knows deep down that Kristoff was right. He has always been the realist among their little team. "Look at it this way. You thought it was too late for Anna and what did you suddenly find? Another way to save her. Now, there's a possibility that Hans is the requirement that you need. What if that engagement is arranged? What if it's against his own will? What if he's only doing that to make you feel jealous?"

"What? To make me feel jealous?" Elsa rolled her eyes at that thought. "That's quite childish of him, if you ask me."

"All I'm saying is that nothing's too late unless you don't try." Kristoff crossed his arms on his chest. "Why don't you ask him if he loves the girl he's marrying?"

"I am 99.9% sure he doesn't love the girl." Olaf nodded encouragingly. "Although I am not a hundred percent sure what the .1% is for."

"Look, even if I do so happen find out the reason why he's engaged, it still doesn't change the fact that he's not in love with me." Elsa ran a hand through her bangs in frustration.

"How do you even know if he's in love with you or not?" Kristoff asked, perplexed with her statement.

"Trust me..." Elsa trailed off. "Who would fall in love with a monster like me?"

"Um, Hans?" Olaf asked, shaking his head to make it seem a little convincing. "Not that I'm saying you're a monster! Nope, definitely not. In fact, you're a -"

_"Fool! Do you **really **think she'd tolerate you? Even after you killed her sister?" _Christian's voice sounded muffled, but it was loud enough to be heard through the library. There was a three second eye contact between her, Kristoff and Olaf before they bounded out of the library and into the halls. They followed the sound of the arguing. As the sound grew closer, the temperature dropped. Elsa was a hundred percent sure that it wasn't her that was doing the temperature drop.

They began approaching the double doors that lead towards the room full of paintings. Surprisingly, there were sharp ice shards dangerously sprouting from the marble floors and the walls near the room where the arguing was coming from. Elsa knew that it was Christian's doing... it had to be. Huh. Look who's not having a hold of his own powers.

"Be careful, they're lethal!" Elsa warned Kristoff and Olaf as they attempt to dodge the number of icicles that seemed to sprout every after five seconds. With a twirl of her hand, swirls of snow began to form under Kristoff and Olaf's feet. The swirling snow turned into frozen blocks of ice that floated and were beginning to lift the two off the ground. She did the same with hers and with that, she flew them over the shards from the ground.

Once they were face to face with the door, Kristoff tried to pull and push at the knob, but it wouldn't budge. Elsa assumed that Christian had locked it from the inside with the same ice she had done when she got mad at him for walking out on her.

_"Christian, must we fight like this? It's not my fault that mother locked you up! You were the one who accidentally hit me!" _Hans's voice yelled from inside the locked room.

_"You could have helped me by talking her into letting me out!" _Christian countered.

Suddenly, a strong, cold wind blew through the halls and she was pretty sure that wasn't her doing, but rather Christian's. Even _his _anger triggers the danger of his powers.

"Stand back!" Elsa yelled above the wind as she faced her palms on the crack between the two doors. With a grunt, she balled her hands into fists and in a flash, the doors opened to reveal the room which was now completely frozen.

The once colorful paintings were now in disarray on the floor whilst the others were frozen against the wall. The walls of the room were the color of ice, like the ones in her ice palace. Although she finds her coldness comforting, Christian's coldness is discerning and quite unimaginable. It made her think that Christian could be much stronger than she is. No wonder Pabbie looked as if he was bad news a few days ago. He _is _beyond anything humanely demonic.

Standing in the middle of the room was Hans, who had his arms wrapped around himself, as if that would help keep him from dying due to hypothermia. Then, surprisingly there was Christian floating four feet off the ground and he was glowing the shade of blue and red - almost like what her ice palace looked like when she accidentally hit Anna.

Just when they were in the middle of a banter, Hans and Christian turned to their audience. Hans's eyes were wide with fear as he looked at Elsa helplessly and she couldn't help but feel awful for him. Christian's laugh resounded throughout the cold room as the wind from outside entered, causing the room to be colder than it already is.

"Came to join the fun, _your highness_? Oh, and you brought your friends as well. How exciting!" Christian taunted Elsa as he snapped his fingers. Suddenly, the floating blocks of ice that she, Kristoff and Olaf were standing on melted. They all jumped out of it just in time before they could drop off of it without realizing. With another snap of Christian's fingers, the doors behind them closed with a loud shudder. "I was just about ready to kill little brother here. Join me, Elsa! Together we can avenge ourselves by killing this man's frozen heart!"

"The only frozen heart around here is _yours_!" Elsa peeved with conviction as she followed Christian floating around the room.

"Elsa, please leave! This is between me and Christian!" Hans yelled, appalled.

"I am _not _leaving without you!" Elsa belted as loudly as she possibly could through the howling wind.

"How romantic!" Christian's voice bellowed as he threw a shot of ice over at Hans, who dodged it with precise speed and hid himself behind a frozen couch. "So sad that little brother here is engaged. It's too late for Anna now, Elsa! And much to your dismay, it also is with your act of true love!"

"A blonde mountain man once told me that _nothing _is too late!" Elsa countered. Once she saw Christian throw another shot of ice over at Hans, Elsa threw out her own shot of ice; deflecting Christian's attack - causing both shots to hit the frozen floor. Christian roared angrily once he saw the counter. She turned to Kristoff and Olaf and yelled, "Get Hans!"

With a twirl of her fingers, she too was floating four feet off the ground as she leveled Christian. "Don't make me do this, Christian!"

"Do what? Kill me? If there's one thing you should know about our powers, Elsa, is that it is _dangerous_." Christian thundered as he threw a huge ball of electrical ice across the room where Kristoff, Hans and Olaf were. Once it landed near the couch where they're hiding from, a puff of white, cold smoke exploded throughout the room. "Do you _really _think there is beauty in it? _No! _You really should stop talking to those stupid trolls. All they tell are lies!"

"Lies of which you cannot handle! You are a deceitful person, Christian. You don't deserve the powers you have now!" Elsa countered in disgust as she pushed away the white smoke that filled the room. It turns out that the white smoke that was floating inside the room were small pieces of snow. The snow landed with tiny thuds on the frozen floor. "Your powers are dangerous unless you don't know how to control them. And that's coming from the man who helped me control my own powers!"

"Our powers are _very _uncontrollable, your highness." Christian laughed masochistically as he threw another electrifying ice across the room. "_That _is the only beauty in it!"

"No!" Elsa gasped as she shot a wall of ice that broke into shards once Christian's blow met with it. She looked at Christian wildly, her blood boiling in sheer anger. With a loud, ear shattering battle cry, she sprinted herself over to Christian and knocked him off guard by shooting him with small, sharp icicles that embedded on his arm.

Christian yelped in pain as he reviews his arm which was now slowly bleeding. He then turned towards Elsa, his eyes gleaming darkly as a smirk formed on his lips, "Is that the best that you can do?"

Before Elsa could do anything, Christian raised his hand and she was pushed away by an invisible force; causing her back to hit the frozen wall. She groaned painfully, feeling the impact draw a bruise that could have broken her spine. When she looked up ever so weakly, she can see Christian laughing sadistically, it was impotent to think that such a person exists. Perhaps some things have proven her wrong. There are worst people than Hans and surprisingly, it was one of Hans' blood that shows such.

"Say goodbye to your Queen, Hans." Christian taunted with so much hate as he began to form another electrical ice, only this time it felt so strong that even its illumination was blinding. Elsa had to cover her eyes to keep them from burning with the amount of light it was shedding in the room.

This was it. This was the time of her death. She was too weak... far too vulnerable to do anything. All she could do now was look at Christian, then at Hans, Kristoff and Olaf who were running in slow motion. Although she knew the slow motion was a part of her blurry sight, she knew it was going to be too late. She was going to die.

And she was going to die alongside her sister.

With a final close of her eyes, she braced herself for the impact of Christian's vengeful powers.

* * *

It felt like hours since she waited for whatever awaited her in that certain event. She wasn't sure if she was in a dark, endless void of nothingness as she kept her eyes closed. She wasn't sure if she was even anywhere at all. But the wary voice of Olaf and Kristoff calling for her felt so real. That sudden nothingness punched her in the gut, causing her to open her eyes in surprising pain.

Her eyes scanned her surroundings. She was still in the same room she had assumed she'd died in. The frozen state of the room remained and she fears that it might add up due to her emotions acting up. In that moment, she was certain of a few things.

She is alive.

Kristoff and Olaf is alive.

Christian looks dead near the frozen window.

Hans is...

Elsa bolted off of her weak state against the wall. When she felt some of her bones crack, she winced in pain; but Kristoff helping her steady herself made it less excruciating. With the heel of her palms, she massaged the sides of her head as she blinked rapidly to make her vision much clearer.

"Elsa, can you hear me?" Kristoff asked as he faced her. "Can you hear me?"

"Yes, I can hear you." Elsa mumbled weakly as she gasped painfully. Apparently, her back pain had some sort of wicked aftershock.

Numerous guards entered the room and they were all awestruck as to what the place looked like. When they turned to look at their Queen, all Elsa could do was nod towards Christian who lay lifeless near the large window. With a silent nod, they jogged towards where Christian was and two guards started hauling him up.

"Where's Hans?" Elsa asked, still trying to recover from what just happened.

Kristoff and Olaf exchanged worried looks. For a moment, she thought it was just some regular body language between them. But when she read the worry in their faces, she couldn't help but push past Kristoff only to see Hans' lifeless state lying on the half frozen velvet couch. Kristoff and Olaf probably expected her to act less caring about it, which she expected from herself as well. But the moment she saw a glimpse of his auburn hair, she couldn't help but push herself to move across the room just to see him.

With the help of Kristoff, she managed to cross the room over to where Hans was. When she saw how pale he was and how a steak of his hair had turned white, her breath hitched. Her head swiveled towards Kristoff and Olaf as her voice trembled, "What happened to him?"

"He deflected Christian's attack with his sword. Although it was a stupid move, he looks like he knew what he was doing. The blow went to him." Kristoff murmured. "Christian hit his heart."

"No..." Elsa's voice was gracefully soft, but anyone with proper hearing could hear the croak and disheveled sadness in it. For a moment, she hesitated in touching him, knowing that her emotions might act up and she might do him more damage. But she couldn't help herself. She sat at the foot of the couch and stared at him, feeling hot, salty tear run down her cheeks. With a hand, she held his cheek. "I... I don't know what to do. What should we do?"

"Hans is in the same situation as Anna." Olaf informed. "Love with thaw a frozen heart."

"An act of true love." Kristoff suddenly said with realization. He pursed his lips and looked at Elsa and Hans to and fro. "I think you should kiss him."

"What?" Elsa asked, completely flabbergasted. Kiss Hans? _Now_? "But I'm not Hans's true love! It's his... his fiance."

"Elsa, we don't have time to find his fiance!" Kristoff said in a panic. "Look, I'm not saying it's going to work but it just _might._"

Elsa bit her lip, staring helplessly at Hans. He was turning horrifically pale right now and the sight of him in such a state made her stomach churn angrily. If only she had known Christian was going to go power crazy today, she would have stopped it. _No. No more "what if's". _"I'm just going to kiss the top of his head. If that doesn't work, we're getting his fiance. Alright?"

Kristoff and Olaf doesn't seem comfortable with the deal, but they nodded anyways.

With a heavy sigh, she wiped the tears streaming down her cheeks and leaned towards Hans. Slowly, but surely, she planted a small, chaste kiss against Hans's ice cold forehead. When she pulled away, she could still feel the lingering cool of the light kiss. Immediately, she stared at Hans hopefully, waiting for a reaction. Much to her dismay, there was none.

Just when she was about to turn to Kristoff and tell him it's no use, she heard coughing. Suddenyl, the temperature dropped because she didn't know what to feel. Should she feel happy, pitiful, thankful? So many emotions reeled in once she saw him struggling to get up from the couch. In the end, she ended up looking up to him with a small smile.

"Oh thank goodness, he's alive." Olaf breathed out a sigh of relief before turning to Elsa with a knowing look on his adorable snow-like face. "And _you _said it wasn't going to work. Haha!"

"Wh-What's not going to work? What's the snowman talking about?" Hans asked, completely confused in the process of wincing. He took a sharp intake of breath and rubbed his forehead with the heel of his palm. When he finally soothed the pain on, well, whichever body part - he turned to Elsa. "Are you alright?"

"I should ask _you _that, you oaf!" Elsa exclaimed in an outburst. "What do you think you were doing? Do you realize what could have happened to you if that ice in your heart hadn't faded? You'd end up like Anna!"

Hans suddenly frowned, although it looks more like a contortion of pain rather than an angry look. "I'm sorry, _your highness. _I didn't know saving your life wasn't moral enough."

"I'm pretty sure I can handle myself." Elsa ridiculed as she rose from sitting. "You could have died!"

"I'm aware of that!" Hans countered, completely agitated by the way Elsa was reacting. He ran his hand through his hair in frustration and sighed, "I may be a fool in your eyes, Elsa but I'm not heartless."

Elsa turned away from him and bit her bottom lip. "You... you should go to the infirmary. Get that head of yours in a bowl of hot water or... just... Excuse me."

Without another word, Elsa ran out of the frozen room and began travelling down the halls. Every step felt so excruciatingly painful, physically and emotionally. The aftershock of being pushed against the wall was still there and she knew that overnight it'll fade. However, the emotional part drew her to anxiety. If Hans had died...

But wait. Why did she care? Of course, she cares. He could have died because of her and that wasn't the plan. Why hadn't she thought; "_F__inally, he's gone! Anna has been avenged._"? She hated him... no, _loathed _him beyond anything inhumane. But these past few weeks had made her realize that he isn't that much of a horrible person - but his past actions towards her and her sister still lingers. There was no way she can ever forget what might have happened if she had died in the hands of this power hungry Prince.

Yet, people always speak of _second chances_. Although some take these _second chances _like a mere game of catch, Elsa doesn't take second chances lightly. Hans had to prove _something _in order to have that second chance. These thoughts ran like a bunch of wild beasts inside her mind, causing her head to ache. There was so much to think of... so much to say... yet, there was so little time.

* * *

**Week Four, Sunday  
_"He's the everything that a Queen can never have."_  
**

It was dusk and everybody in the palace knew what time it was. Most of staff who knew the story behind everything were heaving sighs of relief that the Princes of the Southern Isles were finally leaving. However, for Elsa, she wasn't just as elated as everyone else. Alright, maybe she's excited to kick Christian out of the palace because clearly he's been a more of a misshapen than Hans. But Hans leaving? Elsa really hates to say it, but for the first time in forever, she felt just as broken when she isolated herself years ago. That empty, gut-eating feeling irks her and she knew she couldn't lie to herself about her feelings now.

Elsa was too afraid to help anyone, because all she ever thought whenever she wishes to help someone is how her "helping" would end up being a death session. Her fear of hurting people ate her a lot more than any of her other fears. Hans was a broken man, just as much as she is. It pains her to think that she _can't _help him with his problems. Specifically his problems with his brothers. At least she helped him with just one brother. But for her, it just wasn't enough. It wasn't enough to make him feel protected, to make him feel that someone cares. Every time she manages to help him, she ends up arguing with him.

Maybe because she can't handle the fact that in the end, she was going to hurt him.

Right now, though- the only one hurting is _her._

Every week within the month seemed to be a breaking point to her, but now she was at the very peak. And the only person she could cry to was Anna in her frozen state. With a sniff, she wiped the tears streaming down her cheeks as she stared at Anna painfully. It wasn't just Anna that makes her feel so much pain, it was Hans now.

Damn him. _Damn him. _**Damn him.**

"I love him, Anna..." Elsa confessed in a murmur ever so quiet, it was barely a whisper. It was something she felt so guilty about, even now. For the record, Hans is _engaged. _And to top it off, Anna actually used to _love _Hans. How is it even possible to feel happy about loving a man who obviously deserves better than to have her... a monster. A savage, relentless monster who still doesn't know how to control her powers. "I... I'm so sorry, Anna. I failed you. I thought I'd get things right this time... I thought..."

Elsa sobbed silently as snow slowly fell out of nowhere, taking their time to lavish their fall. Hans was leaving this very moment and she can never put herself to go out there and actually say goodbye. She hated goodbyes. Sometimes, she wondered what's so _good _about goodbyes when such often lead to never seeing each other again and being beyond each other's reach. It was, she believed, for the best if she doesn't say anything at all; even though she knew there was so much to say to him.

"He's getting married to somebody else..." Elsa croaked as she rose unevenly. With her hand, she caressed her sister's hard, cold cheek so carefully that she fears she might break Anna even more. "This week, I think. I don't know. And... and he's leaving and I know I should be saying goodbye, but what good would that do to anybody? I mean, I know he's evil... but he's changed so much since he started helping Arendelle. I'm pretty convinced he's not using me to get the attention of my people. He's been different lately... he's... he's everything I can never have."

In that moment, all she could do was clung to her sister's frozen state and let out an ear-shattering cry. Instead of violent snow and howling winds, the snow that she once emitted stayed suspended in the air. She can't cry before anybody else. She can't cry in front of Kristoff because let's face it, she barely knows the guy despite how helpful he's been. She can't cry before Olaf because his optimism just makes her feel even worst than she already does. Crying is all she's ever done and the only person who most deserves to see or at least _feel _her cry is Anna.

"_Do you wanna build a snowman?_" Elsa wept as her entire body spasm, feeling the weight of everything reel in on her.

The sound of something tinkling was audible, but she kept thinking it was just her mind creating things to keep her from seeing black everywhere. As she carefully gripped Anna's arm while staring down at the floor in a fit of tears, she felt warmness- odd, yet comforting warmth. It started from there, then it moved downwards, probably towards Anna's hips. After so, it kept moving south until she could feel a fabric, obviously not her dress's, brush against her leg.

What on earth was going...

"Elsa?"

With a disgruntled gasp, she pulled away from Anna and she couldn't believe her eyes. Standing right in front of her was a real person, with real skin and real... real everything! Elsa felt her knees go Jell-O at the sight of Anna... alive. Her sister is alive!

Out of delight and happiness, Elsa pulled Anna into a hug; trying to feel if it was actually her. As if she had recently hugged Anna, but she remembered Anna's comforting warmth when they were merely little girls and surprisingly, she still possesses the same comfort. It was far too unbelievable for words. "Oh, Anna. You're... you're alive. I... but how?"

"Love will thaw a frozen heart." Anna explained with a bright smile on her face. Suddenly, her face contorted in confusion as she looked around the room. "Wait, I thought we were at the fjord."

"It's been a month, Anna." Elsa sighed happily, still trying to mentally thump her head just to see if all of this wasn't just a dream.

"Really?" Anna laughed to herself as she pulled away, but let her hands remain on her older sister's shoulder. "Looks like I've missed quite a lot. Gosh, I missed you."

"I missed you too." Elsa giggled lightly as she began pulling Anna out of the room in excitement. "Come on! Everybody needs to know you're thawed!"

Anna broke out into a fit of giggles and snorts, "Slow down, Elsa!"

Her happiness was beyond any sort of level. All month she felt so worthless, like she was the most worthless big sister existent and probably the most worthless Queen as well. But two people have helped her believe that she can do so much more than nothing. They believed that she was going to make it through, despite how broken and pained she is. Because in the end, they never failed to have faith in what she's capable of.

There was, however, one thing that ran through her mind whilst running down the hallways. Elsa wasn't sure what to make of it, but she was pretty sure she knew why Anna has been thawed.

Hans loved her... and he was getting married this week.

* * *

_To be continued..._

* * *

**AN: **Alright, I know Anna and Elsa had a really short scene here; but they'll have a more "in-depth" one in the last chapter, which is technically the chapter next to this. So sad that I have to end "Of Frozen Bitterness". I may add an Epilogue, but the rest is beyond me now and it's up to your beautiful head canons to think of what would be the end of Hans and Elsa.

So, what do you think? Will Hans and Elsa have that _famous _happy ending? Find out soon in the finale chapter of _Of Frozen Bitterness. _Reviews are motivational pushes and I am bound to post the next chapter either this week or after New Year. I hope you all had a Merry Christmas. Thank you all for being so patient with me. Stay amazing! ^^


	8. What Matters

**Of Frozen Bitterness**

* * *

**Chapter 8: What Matters  
week four**

**AN: **Here we are, ladies and gents! The final chapter. Gosh, I never knew I'd come to this. Usually long stories like this never last for me. I often leave it hanging because I lose my muse. But I guess it's just dedication _and _your motivational pushes that made through; hence, this final chapter. Your amazing supports, favorites, follows and reviews are the reason why I keep going. Plus, I can never leave this story hanging. It's my OTP for crying out loud. They _at least _deserve an ending.

So, enough banters. Here we go. Enjoy the final chapter!

_Note: Let's pretend that Jon Mclaughlin's "So Close" existed in the 1800's, okay? Also, I punched in random numbers on the September date. It is nowhere near accuracy towards the movie's timeline._

___PS. Best viewed in 3/4 screen option on the website itself._  


* * *

**Week Four, Monday  
A day before the ball**

"Does this dress have any adjustments?" Anna questioned as she spun in her olive green, long sleeved dress. Although the dress looks absolutely wonderful on her, it was obvious that she was struggling with the size. Apparently, it was one size too small for her that Elsa's afraid her sister might not get out of the dress at all. The young princess then turned to her sister with an arch of a brow. "What do you think, Elsa?"

"I can only imagine your abdomen's struggle." Elsa giggled gracefully as she positioned her crown on her head. She knew that the original crown had gone missing in the process of creating her ice palace, so she used her spare, even though the spare looks less original than the first one— it still counted. At least this crown was a tad less heavier.

With a sigh, she peeked at her sister on the wide vanity. The queen let out a breathy laugh before heading towards her sister who was grunting furiously, but with much determination in an attempt to get out of her dress.

"Please tell me there's another dress." Anna mumbled hopelessly as her older sister pulled at the ruffles, since she was trying to take the dress off downwards. "And _please _tell me you've already thought of a punishment for Hans."

Elsa was slightly taken aback by her sister's sudden switch of topic. Needless to say, she hoped that the idea of... punishing Hans would slip out of Anna's mind. But not even the twisted amount of sisterly bonding time can match the fiery hate that Anna feels towards the Southern Isles prince. The queen was a fool to think she'd let this slip away. Of course Hans needed a punishment. He committed treason on both the princess and queen.

In other kingdoms, death penalties were very much applicable at a crime as such. However, Arendelle does not tolerate death penalties. The kingdom had been the silent, yet gracious type based on her research on the trading system with Hans. There was no way Hans was going to be sentenced to death, but if Anna wants him dead...

No. Her sister would never think something as cruel and gruesome as that... right? Anna was a sweet, naive yet intellectually equipped young princess. Surely execution was out of the question.

"I'm afraid to say I haven't." Elsa admitted, forcing the dress down Anna's hips, causing the torso to slip just a few inches down. "Treason rarely happens to our kingdom and quite the sentimentality, has a light... punishment for it unless thought otherwise by the heir."

"Which is _you_," Anna stated the obvious as she wriggled herself off the dress, the fabric landing with a soft thud on the carpeted floor. The princess sighed in relief as she jumped on Elsa's bed in her undergarments, unashamed that she was showing off skin. But then again, they were sisters. She then rolled herself on the bed and lay her front on the silks, staring at her sister skeptically. "Elsa, we both know that we have to come down to this point where we have to punish someone. Usually you'd know the answer to everything and it drags me to see you so... I don't know, _hesitant _about this."

How can she not act hesitant? Elsa is obligated to punish someone... and not just _someone—_ someone she actually grew to love, despite how bitterly it turned out. The worst part is that Anna doesn't know about Elsa's infatuation for the prince. She did consider telling her sister last night, however, she didn't want to ruin it. She saw how happy she was being reconciled with Olaf and the reindeer named Sven and most especially Kristoff. It was so obvious how happy Anna seemed being around Kristoff and anyone with a pair of eyes knew that the two had _something _going on between them. She just didn't have the heart to tell her just yet.

"Anna..." Elsa trailed off as she sat on the foot of her bed, causing the mattress to sink just a little. "Please forgive me."

"For what?" Anna asked, completely confused. "If this is about the eternal winter, you don't have to. At least you thawed the kingdom and that's enough for anyone to trust you again."

"No... it's not that." The queen sighed, fiddling with the snowflake necklace that Hans had given her on her birthday. "It's... it's Hans."

"What about him?" Anna's brows furrowed, agitated by the way her older sister was speaking in small sentences. "Did he hurt you while I was gone? Did he do anything _stupid _while I was gone? Did he eat all the chocolate?"

"What? No, no... it's nothing like that." Here goes nothing. "I did tell you how well he's helped Arendelle this month, right?"

"Yeah, but that's not an excuse to not punish him." Anna rolled her eyes at the thought alone. "What about it?"

"Well..." Elsa bit her lip as she tried to avoid her sister's gaze. "He's been... he's been more than helpful. I don't think he has any more growing desire to take over Arendelle and I believe that he's..."

"Changed?" Anna asked, inclining her head so she can see Elsa's reactions. "Elsa, I can see why you don't want to do anything inhumane to him. But please try to remember that he tried to kill me, not to mention _you_. He's a selfish man. He can't stand being thirteenth in line and the only way to get to a crown is to _marry _a crown."

"First of all, he can _marry _a crown but he can't earn the title of being King. If he does so attempt to marry a Queen, he will remain a Prince. When the queen bears a boy, the said boy will be the king. So in terms of monarch standards, his blood cannot run as King... only as a Prince." Elsa informed, attempting to defend Hans's stand. Anna was flabbergasted at the information that her sister had suddenly burst on her. "All I'm trying to say is that... he knows that now and knows that it is _pointless_.So why bother?"

"You're on to something now, aren't you?" Anna asked abruptly, staring at her sister with much tension. Elsa could already feel herself swallowing all the saliva she could muster in her mouth. When Anna's eyes widened, Elsa's fear bolted. "Wait a second... not thinking straight, can't find a decent punishment, convincing... I knew it!"

"Knew what?" Elsa asked in a small voice.

Anna pointed at her sister, causing Elsa to jump. "Ha! I got you. I can't believe I actually thought of this and how awkward and how weird this is going to turn out."

"Anna, what are you talking about?"

"You... you of all people... You're in love."

Oh no.

"And not just with anyone... you're... you're in love with Hans, aren't you?"

The queen hadn't expected the unexpected outburst that her sister had just inflicted. Needless to say, she thought that her sister was going to go ballistic at the realization of Elsa's feelings towards the prince. But when she read Anna's reaction upon dubiously realizing Elsa's thoughts, all she saw was both surprise and disgust and... is she smirking? Is Anna smirking at _her_?

"Anna, I can explain." Elsa said as calmly as she possibly could. "I know you must think me mad..."

"Oh, I'm certain you're mad." Anna interjected as she rolled herself off the bed and landed on the carpeted floor with a loud thud.

"And I know you think I am insane..."

"Definitely insane."

"But it... I _had _to."

"You mean to tell me that you were _forced_ tofall in love with Hans?" Anna asked as she pulled herself up. "I'm not buying it."

"Well, you wouldn't be alive if it weren't by sheer force." Elsa added, causing Anna to arch her brow in surprise. "When I saw you frozen in the middle of the fjord, I knew it was too late. A month passed and I still didn't know what to do. Then I thought, it was just proper to give you a funeral. Then on that very day, Hans arrived. I was just so mad and broken... I had no idea what I was getting into."

"What _did_ you get yourself into?" Anna sat back on the bed, just a few inches away from her sister.

"Pabbie came to your funeral and offered me another way to thaw you. He said that _I _was your act of true love. However, I can't conjure up the said act without having a certain requirement. That requirement was to find _my _own act of true love. In other terms, he means I need to find my true love who in turn, lacks his own act of true love and must fall in love with me within the month. If I let another month pass of you being frozen, I will never be able to have the opportunity to thaw you. The most ridiculous part of it was that Pabbie suggested Hans."

"Wait, what?" Anna asked, completely confused. "Why? I don't... I don't get it."

From then on, Elsa began story telling everything that has happened since Pabbie's visit in the funeral. She told Anna about Hans, Christian and Anderson coming to Arendelle to help the kingdom during the winter drought. When Elsa mentioned that Hans was the one who volunteered to help, the princess sneered; obviously displeased with the Prince's actions. Elsa mentioned Christian and as she spoke about him, she kept thinking about the punishment she'll be giving to _him_. Just like Hans, he had attempted to kill the queen with no sense of remorse for it. As of right now, he's locked up in the dungeon until further notice; since Elsa had sent out a letter to King Klaus of the Southern Isles, Hans's second eldest brother last week regarding the matter.

Elsa admitted that she thought she could alter the idea of falling in love with Hans, which Anna was proud of. So she went on and on, going over every week that has happened within the month. Anna's reactions altered from happy, to anger, to surprise, to weirdness and... well, the princess can conjure up any reaction existent. Even she herself had to admit it had been a crazy ride over the month, but in the end of it all, it was worth it. Well, for her, anyway. What she wonder now is if all the work she had to do to thaw her sister was enough for Anna.

"You said the requirement was that you have to fall in love with someone who lacks his own act of true love, right?" Anna asked after a brief moment of silence. And Elsa was surprised that of all the questions she could have asked about the month, she had to ask about _that. _"And you have to make that someone fall in love with you as well. If that happens, that's the only time you can thaw me."

"That's correct." Elsa nodded, staring at her fingers that were interlocking every five seconds.

"You fell in love with Hans, which I'm pretty sure you never knew you could..." Anna tried to register. "And you thawed me... so that must mean he loves you too?"

Elsa pursed her lips, as if that would help her keep her tears. "Yes, Anna. It's a matter of we love each other, but we both know something needs to be in the way. Love isn't always about happiness, despite how much it brings. Apparently, even I can't accept the fact that what I feel about him is surprisingly true."

"Then what keeps you apart?" Anna questioned, staring at her sister with much sympathy. Wait, was Anna actually considering this?

"He's engaged." Elsa's voice quivered and she felt a tear run down her cheek. She wiped it off, scolding herself not to cry at all costs. "He was about to leave yesterday and get ready for his wedding, but he said that he would stay until Tuesday for the ball. By then, he'll leave."

"Are you kidding me? He's just going to leave you _just like that_?" Anna threw her hands up in the air in exasperation. "Why? But... I thought he loves you. You said so yourself! With the requirement and everything and... how could he do this to you?"

"It was last week when he told me. Plus, he didn't know. I just... I don't know anymore." Elsa hid her face in her hands. "I keep telling myself that you're thawed, I don't have to love him anymore the way I actually did before. But it's... it's hard. It's hard to accept that I actually fell in love for the first time, only to find out that he's already betrothed."

Anna's brows furrowed in worry. "Well, did you actually tell him you loved him? You know, direct confession?"

"I don't have the amount of confidence to do that, Anna. He's engaged. He's happy. I'm not a woman who goes between two lovers out of hatred. I can't do that." Except maybe when she tried to stop Anna and Hans's wedding. But it was completely different. Hans... Hans knew Victoria longer than he had known Anna. They might have had a connection sometime before and it might be unbreakable. She can't sabotage a relationship like that. "It's just best to leave it be. Just... forget it. The important thing is that you're back and I couldn't be any happier."

"Elsa..." Anna trailed off as she stared at the carpeted floor, scrutinizing it— but Elsa knew her sister was deep in thought. The way her face contorts in concentration says so. Finally, the princess cleared her throat before glancing at her sister. "Now that you've... thawed me. I think it's time you start helping yourself."

Elsa shook her head, confused. "What do you mean?"

"I mean..." The princess blew out a shaky sigh. "I want you to be happy... not only because of me, or Olaf, or the kingdom. But because of... because of Hans as well."

"What?"

"He gave you so much company... a lot more than I wasn't able to do for the last fourteen years. Although Christian helped you control your powers, I feel like Hans was the one who really helped you from the beginning and I just think... I think you have to tell him how you feel before all of this goes downhill."

"I can't do that. He might change his mind. What if the whole wedding is already fixed and all that's needed is the groom himself to arrive? No, Anna— I can't risk Hans's relationship that way."

"You and I both know that he doesn't love that woman."

"How would you know?"

"Actually, how would _you _know? Have you ever asked him if he actually loves this woman?"

Elsa bit her lip guiltily. "No."

"No!" Anna exclaimed as she rose from the bed boldly. And although Elsa couldn't take Anna seriously in her undergarments, the young princess stood with conviction. "So why are you assuming? It's not too late. Tomorrow's the ball and it's your last chance to tell him everything you feel about him. You can't bottle this up any longer, Elsa. I know I said I want him punished, but if this can of crazy brings the light of hope in my sister's life— then I'd prove myself wrong."

"How are you suddenly a love expert?" Elsa questioned.

"I just..." Anna sighed. "I want you to be happy. Nothing gives me more happiness than to see you happier than I am. You may not be able to halt his wedding, but you can't halt your feelings... and his feelings. I'm not saying I'm a hundred percent supportive about this, though. He still needs a punishment, maybe something light. The guy is insane. But if an insane man makes my sister fall in love with him, then who am I to think otherwise?"

"Oh, Anna." Elsa's voice quivered as she pulled her sister into a tight, warm hug that felt comforting in the most wonderful ways possible.

* * *

_September 27, 1879_

_Dear Queen Elsa,_

_I have received your letter, merely a day after the mentioned incident regarding my brother, Prince Christian's actions towards her majesty. According to the Southern Isles law, an act of treason is a crime that is sentenced to eight years of imprisonment. The amount of years is no lighter when said action is done by a monarch. The same punishment, much to my regret, is also applied on my youngest brother, Prince Hans's actions towards her majesty and Princess Anna. However, since her majesty requests a lighter punishment for Prince Hans— I can only offer the Prince to be ripped of his title temporarily. He will be serving as her majesty's royal adviser due to his past accomplishment in helping Arendelle in its drought. As also stated, the light punishment is also due to his intentions of saving her majesty during the time of Prince Christian's act of treason. _

_The court of the Southern Isles have decided to establish a court hearing on the 5th of October regarding the punishment for the crimes of Prince Christian and Prince Hans. I wish to invite her majesty and Princess Anna in the said hearing to justify the terms discussed regarding the crimes. I, and my kingdom, apologize for such actions violently perceived towards Arendelle. _

_We hope that this will not affect the trading service we have newly acquired. The tradings, we believe, will establish a peaceful and civil interaction between the Southern Isles and Arendelle.  
_

_I wish to hear from her majesty soon. My gratitude is indebted to your kindness and mercy towards my kingdom._

_Signed,  
King Klaus the IV of the Southern Isles_

* * *

**Week Four, Tuesday  
_"People always do crazy things... when they're in love."_  
**

"Oh, Elsa— you look beautiful!" Olaf chuckled in delight as he circled around the queen, his personal flurry following him around. Ever since all of Arendelle had been thawed, Summer came back. Although Olaf enjoyed the heat, it was impossible for him to survive it since he was bound to melt. But Elsa had thought of giving him a cloud over his head with snow falling every once in a while to keep him whole, even if he comes out into the hot, summer day.

"Thank you, Olaf." Elsa smiled at the snowman's compliment as she looked at herself on the full-body mirror embedded with snowflakes and curves of ice. Her dress was strapless, revealing her beautifully curved shoulders. It was modest, since the only design on it were a few ruffles down and nothing more. The color was the same as her ice dress; the one she had made in her ice palace. Personally, she just wanted something simple and sober for herself since the reason for the celebration is not her, but for the return of Anna._  
_

"Hans is going to burst when he sees you!" Olaf chimed in optimistically as he fixed his bow tie before the mirror with a grin. "Are you ready?"

"For the ball? Yes." Elsa sighed as she caressed the creases on her dress. "For Hans? Not quite."

"It's like I always say," Olaf smiled once his bow tie was finally in place. "Love is... putting someone else's needs before yours. Like, how Hans got engaged so he can protect you."

Elsa looked at Olaf in the mirror in surprise. "What does that mean?"

Olaf looked up at his creator, staring at her awkwardly. "Wait, you don't know?"

"Don't know what?" Elsa asked desperately.

"Wow, this is awkward. Um, alright... let's see." Olaf tapped his nose as he silently mused to himself. When he had thoughts collected, he looked up at Elsa again and began, "Just yesterday, I was wandering the palace, as usual. Anna told me to check on Christian in the dungeons. Did I mention how horrible it smells down there? Brr! _Anyway_, when I got down there, I heard Christian and Hans talking... well, mostly about you."

"Oh? What did they say?"

"Hans was forced to be betrothed by Christian. Christian mentioned something about him being proud of Hans about the whole engagement thingy. Otherwise, he could have killed you in case he disagrees. Hans obviously had no choice, so he told you he was engaged last week. Which is, as mentioned, forced. He doesn't really love that Victoria girl!" Olaf pursed his lips before saying, "Did I say too much? I got a little head rush right there and am not a hundred percent sure if my words are concise."

"He got engaged to... to protect me from Christian?" Elsa asked to herself as she slowly slipped down on the floor, staring at herself in the mirror in horror.

"Wow, you have no idea about love, do 'ya?" Olaf asked as he sat beside her, patting her thigh in the process. "He'd do anything for you, even if it means sacrificing his own dignity."

Anna suddenly came bursting through the doors in her lovely spring themed gown in sheer excitement. When she saw Elsa and Olaf sitting on the floor, she crossed her arms on her chest. "What are you two still doing there? It's time for the ball! Come on, let's move it people— er, person and snowman!"

Without another word, Elsa and Olaf were dragged out of the room by the determined princess. Elsa didn't know what to say... much less think anymore. Olaf could have heard wrong, but then again, she trusted Olaf. What if what Olaf was saying was true? That Hans only got engaged so that Christian won't hurt her, shackled or not. On another note, how dare Christian. That evil, psychotic, heartless son of a—

"Queen Elsa of Arendelle!" Kai announced, causing Elsa to snap out of her musings. She took a hold of her gown before gracefully walking towards her throne, eyeing the people who bowed before her. From afar, she had spotted Hans and Kristoff; who are both surprisingly in a heat of a conversation. Since when did those two actually interact?

"And the reason behind this splendid ball, returning— Princess Anna of Arendelle."

The crowd applauded as Anna bounded towards Elsa in a hurry, waving from time to time as she tried not to trip on her beautifully sewn gown. When Elsa nodded, the music began playing and the guests began heading back towards their own businesses.

"This is... alot, Elsa." Anna beamed at her sister. "Thank you for throwing this ball for me. Nobody has ever thrown one for me since Mom and Dad."

"You deserve it." Elsa smiled courteously at her sister, who suddenly pulled her into a hug. The queen laughed gracefully before hugging her younger sister back.

Their small momentum was cut off by someone clearing their throat.

Kristoff smiled apologetically at them, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "I'm really sorry to interrupt. I just wanted to ask Anna if she wanted to dance?"

"Go ahead." Elsa nodded, giggling as she lightly pushed her sister forward.

Although she knew how light the push was, Anna either found the push too much or she tripped on her gown. Either way, she almost fell down the small steps that lead up the platform. It was Kristoff's quick catch that kept Anna from embarrassing herself. Anna laughed awkwardly as she held on to Kristoff before turning to Elsa with a smile. With that, Kristoff lead her sister to the middle of the room.

A small smile graced Elsa's lips as she watched the couple dance in delight into the upbeat tune of the music. Elsa made no point in interceding between Anna and Kristoff. Already the minute Elsa met Kristoff, she knew Kristoff was just fine for Anna. He had that sensitive, yet realistic snap to himself that can possibly help Anna in her unsophisticated times. And anyone with a pair of eyes knows that the two are head over heels for each other. Elsa wonders if either even knows how much the other feels about them.

"My queen." Hans interrupts her silent musings.

Elsa snaps out of it, looking directly into Hans's emerald eyes. Anna wasn't joking when she mentioned how dreamy his eyes were. Well, she mentioned that in past tense. In fact, she's actually surprised how Anna is kind of alright with her liking Hans. At first, Elsa thought Anna would feel betrayed. But since Anna had no notion of liking Hans anymore than she mistakenly have, it became a tad less stressful to talk to her sister about it.

"Hans." Elsa offered a smile at the prince, who wore the same outfit he wore on her coronation day.

"I'm sorry to interrupt her majesty's musings. I just wanted to know if she wishes to dance with me." Hans chuckled as he offered his hand.

"I don't dance." Elsa tried to waver the offer away. Out of the blue, Hans formed a smolder, if not a pout on his face. The queen tried to hide her laughter by covering her mouth with her gloved hand. "You're not going to remove that smolder unless I say yes?"

"A prince can try." Hans stated, still holding the smolder on his face.

"If I so happen to step on your shoe," Elsa accepted his hand as she walked down the small steps. "I am not to blame."

"I am quite aware of that now." Hans laughed as he gracefully lead her towards the middle of the room.

Surprisingly, Anna and Kristoff was nowhere to be seen. Haven't they've been dancing just a couple of minutes ago? Just when she was about to dig deeper into the situation, the music changed into a soft, melodious piano tune. When she tried to search for the source of the music, she found a man assisting Olaf on a stool just to reach the mic.

"Is that?" Elsa asked, nodding towards the direction as to where the music played as she positioned her left hand on Hans's right shoulder and her other hand in his left one.

When Hans turned to look, he shook his head with a small smile. "I never knew that your creations could sing."

"They... they don't." Elsa laughed lightly as she met Olaf's eyes. Olaf waved with his twig-like hand at Elsa, as if that was the most normal thing. Dignitaries, even the people of Arendelle had already adjusted, just lightly, on the existence of Olaf. So him being in the ball was sort of a normality now.

Olaf began tapping on the mic and it resounded throughout the room. The music grew louder as the piano tune played again. Oh dear gods. Her snowman was going to _sing. _

_You're in my arms, and all the world is calm_  
_The music playing on for only two_  
_So close, together_  
_And when I'm with you_  
_So close, to feeling alive_

Hans began leading the dance and she was glad that he took things slow at first. When she had danced with Christian, although he was graceful, his movements were far too swift for her liking. But Hans looked as if he was afraid _he _would trip rather than her. When Elsa finally got the hang of the movement, she glided with Hans gracefully; like she didn't have a care in the world.

"And you said you couldn't dance," Hans whispered for only her to hear as he pulled her flush against him. "Liar."

"I, well, I can only dance when lead properly." Elsa admitted as Hans twirled her perfectly. "Apparently, my partner seems to be an expert in the art of ballroom dancing and I find no problem in that."

"Like you've mentioned before, I've always been the brazen one." Hans noted, a confident smirk gracing his lips. Elsa couldn't help but roll her eyes playfully at his smirk. He always was the master of smirks.

_A life goes by,_  
_Romantic dreams must die_  
_So I bid my goodbye_  
_And never knew_

"I received a reply from Klaus just last night." Elsa started as she waited for Hans's reaction. He seemed stoic about it, but he nodded for her to continue. "There's a possibility that you won't be imprisoned, but you will be ripped off your title as prince. Of course, that's temporary since you'll be serving as a royal adviser to me and Anna. And—"

"Shh," Hans hushed her softly, causing her to pause for a brief moment. "I know all about that. Let's talk about that in court days after this, alright? Right now, I want you to relax and dance with me."

"I'm already dancing with you."

"Then, your highness; you really must learn the art of relaxation."

_So close, was waiting,_  
_Waiting here with you_  
_And now, forever, I know_  
_All that I wanted_  
_to hold you so close_

Elsa sighed, trying to "relax" herself as Hans had mentioned. When she turned to search for Olaf, a couple of guests watched him sing, enthralled by the amount of talent he has. Even she herself didn't know that the snowman could sing. Had she been _that _happy whilst creating him that such talent was passed on at some point?

"I... I want to ask you something." Elsa trailed off as Hans swayed her to and fro, then twirled her before pulling her to him. When Hans arched a brow, she questioned. "What's... what's Victoria like?"

"Ah," Hans nodded, as if he was expecting that question would pop up anytime soon. "She's, er... she's a saint. She loves kids and just the sight of seeing them brings so much joy to her. Her kingdom is known to be the home of the lost children, since many of them are forsaken; although taken care of by the palace. She lives alone and has no other distant relatives left, so she gets the kids to accompany her. Victoria is nothing, if not passionate. There's a hinge of a wanderlust to her, which would probably mean we'd go to France after the, um..."

"Wedding?" Elsa tried to finish for him, offering a persuasive smile even though deep down it felt absolutely painful. Like her heart was being crippled by a thousand demons, ready to tarnish her to bits. "She sounds like a _wonderful _woman and I do mean that. Maybe she might help you with that little temper of yours."

Hans shook his head, chuckling in the process. "Still not fond of my temper, my queen?"

"No, but I am used to it." She replied with a shrug.

"I've got all the help in controlling my temper right before me." Hans whispered against her ear as he twirled her.

_So close to reaching_  
_That famous happy end_  
_Almost believing_  
_This one's not pretend_

"I think the person in need of anger management is me." Elsa dejected as she rested her head on his shoulder. Although she knew that guests would stare at their display of affection, she doesn't mind. In fact, she learned that she shouldn't care about what they think of her. All the queen wanted was to have the comfort of having the first man she's ever truly love near her and no amount of law or rumor will stop her from having that. "You can control yourself when needed. Just look at what happened to you and Christian last week."

"My brother has a colossal need for anger management. I, on the other hand, need it as well; but not as much as Christian." Hans sighed as he rested his chin on the crown of her head. "I do apologize for my brother's actions. I never expected him to break out like that."

"It's all in the past," She reminded him. "If I were you, I'd forget it ever happened. Just be... just be glad that you're alive."

"I'd be more than glad if _you're _alive. It's my fault he got mad. I seemed to have pushed a wrong button upon discussing trades with him. He really was the time bomb of the family. At first it was just some simple discussions on the products that we wanted to release in Arendelle. Then, I rebuked some of the products he wanted to give your kingdom and from then on, it just broke out. He started mentioning mother and it's just..." He spoke with much melancholy, but she hushed him.

"You can't always blame yourself." She raised her head to gaze at his dazzling emerald eyes that are filled with so much regret that it was starting to look absolutely hallow. "You need to start believing in yourself. I know it's quite ironic coming from a person who bolted into the mountains due to self disbelief, but like I said— it's all in the past. You have to stop living in it and try to weave your way to a better tomorrow. I don't like seeing you wallowing in a mistake you know you can change from here on out."

He chuckled at her philosophy as he rested his forehead against hers. "You are quite a woman with words, my queen. I do believe that my self esteem suddenly rose to the occasion. But being pensive with myself, I wish to thank you."

_And now you're beside me,_  
_And look how far we've come_  
_So far we are so close..._

Suddenly, as Hans twirled her, she noticed that the guests had stopped dancing. Her heart skipped a beat and for a moment, she felt nervous. They were all staring at her and Hans as they danced in the middle of the room. There were numbers of emotions that she read in their faces, but thankfully, majority showed admiration.

As she looked around, she spotted Anna who was giving her two thumbs up with a goofy grin on her face. Elsa couldn't help but roll her eyes at her sister. If she had lived fourteen years knowing how crazily amazing her sister was, she wouldn't be this _just as _graceful. In fact, she would have been as playful as Anna.

"People are starting to stare," Elsa noted as she continued to jive into the slow, sensual movements that Hans was leading her in. "Is that normal?"

"For the people to watch their queen dance for the first time?" Hans smirked as he spun her, pulling her close to him once more. "How is it not possible if their queen looks divinely breathtaking."

"Hans..." Elsa bit her lip and looked down, trying to hide her blush. Gods, the things this man can say to make her knees go Jell-O. For a moment, she seemed to have spotted a few royal princesses grinning and blushing to a point where Elsa wanted to roll her eyes at them. But she couldn't. In fact, she didn't have the right. Hans wasn't hers to even begin with. But their sensual stares at Hans and their dirty looks at her made her irk, not to mention slightly jealous. "Well, some of the women find you strikingly dandy. I have to say that their hateful glares towards me is quite intimidating."

"They're just jealous that I have you." Hans chuckled boldly. "I believe this is the part where I say that you are one lucky queen, Elsa."

_Oh how could I face the faceless days_  
_If I should lose you now?_

After staring at them for gods knows how long, the guests started joining in with the dancing. This made Elsa blow out a sigh of relief. It was tenacious how people stare at her, especially if she was around Hans. She can already see the royal princesses from other kingdoms burning holes through her head and crown. It was ridiculous.

"_We're so close to reaching that famous happy end._" Hans sang softly into her ears as he slowed their dancing to a point where their steps were little.

"_And almost believing, this one's not pretend..._" Elsa sang back melodiously as she rested her head against his shoulder once again. "May I ask you one last thing, Hans?"

"Please, my queen." Hans murmured and she felt him nod.

"Do you love Victoria?" The question was hesitant and the way she asked it almost sounded like she was broken. But she refused to believe she had broken down at that point. Hans may see her weakness, but she can't just give in to everything that causes her sadness. So in that moment, she braced herself for the answer that she was going to receive.

_Let's go on dreaming_  
_for we know we are..._

"I..." Hans hesitated, causing Elsa to look up to him with pleading eyes; as if to tell him that he can't lie to her. "I d—"

They were politely interrupted by Kai, who looked flushed— probably embarrassed from coming in between them. "I apologize if her majesty and Prince is busy, but King Klaus and Prince Anderson of the Southern Isles are docked and are ready to take Prince Hans and Prince Christian back to their kingdom."

_Oh._

Elsa pursed her lips at this as she looked at Hans, slowly slipping herself away from him. "Y-You should start going."

"Elsa..." Hans trailed off woefully, taking her left hand in the process. "Will you meet me at the docks before I depart?"

When she noticed that Kai was gone, she nodded with a small, fake smile. However, her reply was true. "I won't miss it."

Hans nodded, kissed the back of her hand chastely before ambling away from her. For a brief moment, she just stood there in the middle of the room, light headed with all that had just recently happened. Who knew so much could happen in one dance? It was, she believed the first and last time that they will be able to act so... so together. Like they couldn't give a care on who was watching them and who was boring holes in their heads. All that mattered was that they were alongside each other.

Elsa fears that something like that won't ever happen to her again.

_So close, so close_  
_And still so far..._

* * *

No book or royal tutor had prepared her for what was coming. Not even her mother or father taught her how love is executed between a man and a woman. The queen had absolutely no idea how to express her feelings and perhaps it was best to keep it that way. It was better to keep her away from men. She, of all people, shouldn't even be exposed to the idea of love.

But the moment she had come of age, she knew that she was going to need someone to accompany her. Not her sister, not the royal couriers or anyone else. She knew she was going to need the company of a man... someone who would love her for her and not because of her power as queen and all other things. Needless to say at first, she knew that Hans was going to play with her emotions like he had with Anna months ago. She fears the commitment and the attachment needed to protrude a certain relationship. But Hans had opened her to far more different things, such as taking her emotions in slowly, yet surely. There was no need to rush all of it because love is a painting. You'll need all the right colors, draft sketches and find the right angle in order to create a final product. Right now, though, her love was a wretched painting— forgotten and disheveled.

Elsa knew that she had to focus on other things, like how her people would rise from the drought of the winter and how she needed to pass up new laws as the new queen. Although she knew that all month she had focused on getting trades, she believes that it wasn't enough for her people. It made her feel guilty that she had let her emotions fly farther than her mind would. Is this what it was like to love? Was it forgetting one's duties and just thinking about that one person? Was it daydreaming out of nowhere about that one person? Was it sighing an old ballad like it was the last thing you'd do on earth? Whatever it was, she knew she'd gone overboard and for moment, she thought of just letting him go.

"I believe this is where we part ways, your highness." Hans's voice suddenly snapped her out of her deep thinking. "I apologize if I interrupted you with anything that you should be doing right now."

"No, you shouldn't apologize." Elsa offered a smile as she looked at the vessel that was ready to take Hans and Christian away from Arendelle. It was a simple vessel, although lenient and quite well for long voyages. From the deck, she could see Christian being dragged mercilessly in chains. She can also see King Klaus and Prince Anderson staring at her and Hans, conversing every once in a while heatedly— as if their patience were far too little. "But I think your brothers are just about ready to leave."

All of a sudden, she saw a red-headed woman with ruby-like eyes, no more than twenty; appear as she gazed at her and Hans on the dock. Elsa was in complete awe. The woman was beautiful and she was certainly graceful in her actions. Her aura was enough to bring kindness to practically everything. Even the bickering King and Prince had halted their argument when she arrived. Then, her stomach churned nauseatingly as she swallowed since her throat felt like sand paper.

"Is that... Victoria?" Elsa assumed as she nodded towards the woman on the deck. When Hans turned, he pursed his lips and nodded. Although the woman didn't have a crown, her face and gestures already screams _Queen _all over. "She's dazzling."

"Well, not as much as you. She might be dazzling, but you are a goddess." Hans whispered in her ear before leaning back to smirk at her. The queen felt a shade of red tinge her cheeks and she had to bite her lip to hold every emotion she wanted to let out. He then smiled at her sadly before nodding, "I'll meet you in court, then?"

"Not the most pleasant of reconciliations, but yes." Elsa let out a small laugh. "I'll meet you there."

Surprisingly, Hans pulled her to a soft and warm hug. His actions were delicate, as if she might break if he even attempted to hug her tightly. Elsa sighed and wrapped her arms around him, closing her eyes to keep herself from looking up at Victoria; who she could feel was trying to burn holes through her head.

"Thank you." Hans said in a final whisper before pulling away. He took her hand in his, planting a chaste kiss on the back of her hand as he usually does and offers a handsome smile before he traveled up the steps that lead to the vessel.

A hand landed on her shoulder, only to find Anna as the source of it. When Anna nodded, Elsa knew it was time to go. The moment she glanced up at the moving vessel, she caught Hans staring at her. With a sigh of defeat, she turned and followed Anna, Kristoff and Olaf who were leaving the docks.

Anna stared at Elsa sadly as she asks softly, "You really love him, huh?"

Elsa bit her lip, trying to hold back the tears that were persistent in falling. Saying yes would be far too much for her and nodding was just as tiring. Instead, she attempted a smile as she stated, "Olaf did say that... love is putting someone else's needs before yours. If Hans is happy, then I can never be more happier."

"I said that." Olaf chuckled as he raised his hand.

"Well, it's like I always say." Kristoff chimed in. "It's better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all."

"_You _always say that?" Anna asked jokingly as she poked Kristoff's cheek, a sarcastic laugh escaping her lips. "I'm not buying it."

Kristoff shrugged with a light grin. "Okay, maybe Pabbie does say that... a lot more than I can necessarily hear it."

At least she knew what it was like to love. The experience alone have been wonderful, if not magical. It helped her discover things she never even knew existed. Next time, she was going to be prepared— no matter how horribly she was going to miss Hans. No matter how painful it still feels. Queens like her rarely get the happy endings. That's what it says on the fairy tale books, though. The Princess gets the happy ending. Not that she was envy of Anna's love for Kristoff or anything. It's just that she wanted that kind of love for herself; and now she let him slip away.

In the end, she alone was to blame for all of it.

_Elsa!_

"Wait, did you guys hear that?" Olaf asked the trio as he started walking backwards to face them.

_Elsa!_

Olaf's eyes widened. "There it is again!"

"I'm pretty sure it's just the wind, Olaf." Kristoff explained.

"No, I hear it too!" Anna exclaimed as she halted both Kristoff and Elsa with her hands. Elsa almost choked when her sister's sharp elbow made contact with her abdomen. The strawberry-blonde headed princess turned to her older sister. "Tell me you're hearing it too—"

_Elsa! _

The queen gasped, recognizing the voice. When she turned, all she saw was a flicker of movement from the Southern Isles vessel. Apparently, someone had jumped off board and started swimming rapidly towards the dock.

"It's Hans!" Olaf exclaimed worriedly as he started waddling quickly back to the docks.

Elsa, Anna and Kristoff followed suit just as quickly. She was starting to run faster than the others, despite her now broke-in heels. When Hans gets back on land, she is going to kill him. These thoughts ran wild in her mind as soon as she arrived at the docks, where Hans was at the verge of nearing. Kristoff threw one of the life buoy's that were attacked to the sides of the dock towards Hans.

When Hans finally got a hold of the floating device, Kristoff started to pull, along with Anna and Olaf who helped. It had to take a few minutes to get Hans back on land, despite the amount of help he was getting. Elsa had tried to turn an ice path for Hans to land on, but she was too afraid that she might accidentally thaw the kingdom again.

Hans breathed heavily while he was on his hands and knees, coughing out seawater. As soon as he finally got up, completely soaked from swimming— Elsa frowned at him.

"Your highness," Hans smirked tiredly.

"You _oaf_!" Elsa belted at him as she grabbed him by his wet coat angrily, her face merely inches away from his. "You could have died! You could have drowned and had your body get lost at sea. Are you out of your noggin? Do you realize what could have horrifically happened if Olaf hadn't—"

Unexpectedly, just before she could throw countless of insults at him— Hans pulled her to him. Just like that, he had his soft, though damp lips on hers. Elsa's eyes widened as she tried to reciprocate what was happening. When she looked at Hans, he found his eyes closed, reveling the moment. For a moment, she didn't know what to do. But when Hans's lips felt pleading, she slowly melted in his arms, eyes closed, before softly kissing him back.

One hand ran through his auburn locks, while the other is clutched feverishly on his shoulder. It was deep and passionate, and although she knew she never even knew that; she could feel it. His lips lingers with longing... and surprisingly, with chocolate mint. The kiss alone made her head spin in the most unnaturally beautiful way possible. There were far too many emotions that ran in her mind as the kiss went on. This is what couples do when they're in love? Elsa had to admit it was wonderful, no wait, _beyond _wonderful.

Just when she thought it wasn't going to end, it did. Hans pulled away rather slowly and Elsa whimpered quietly with the lack of lips on hers. She opened her eyes, only to find Hans smirking at her with so much adoration.

"Did I tell you to stop kissing me, Prince Hans?" Elsa arched a brow as her lips graced with a smirk.

"No, you did not, Queen Elsa." Hans replied, resting his forehead against hers. "Does her majesty wish to continue?"

Elsa laughed lightly, pecking his lips chastely. "Yes, please."

Hans flushed a stunning smile before planting yet another kiss on her lips. She couldn't help but pull him closer, ignoring the sound of disgust that she can hear from Anna and Kristoff. Olaf was silent about it, surprisingly. He was just staring at them in awe, an adorable smile splayed on his mouth. It almost looked like he was proud of it.

"I love you." His whisper was hoarse. It was a declaration, yet it was fabricated with fear— as if it wouldn't be enough for her. But it _is _enough for her. It is enough to have him here despite his soaked self. It is enough to have this broken prince who she knew she had fixed in merely a month. It is enough to have him tell her those sweet, delicate three letter words that made butterflies fill her stomach. His emerald eyes stared at icy blue ones, searching for something... a reply or reaction, perhaps.

Everything was hazy, yet it felt absolutely right. She needed him, and he needed her. Although their comparison is uncanny, love never stated that two broken people can't be together. It's the bond, Elsa believes, that will make them stronger. And just like that, a tear slipped down her cheek out of sheer joy. Hans loved her... _her _of all people.

But what about Victoria?

Oh, no. She had completely forgotten.

A small, disappointed frown creased her brows and she gently pulled away from him. Hans lifted her chin by cupping his hand under it. "What troubles you, my queen?"

"What about Victoria?" Elsa now felt absolutely broken. Although the giddy aftershock of the kiss wants to do somersaults, the thought of Victoria waiting in that vessel made her feel so guilty. She could still remember what Olaf had told her before the ball. How Christian forced Hans to marry Victoria so that Christian wouldn't hurt her. But she needed to make sure. The queen looked up to her prince, her face merely inches away from him. "I keep forgetting that you're engaged and..."

"My love," Hans's new approach towards Elsa made her smile sadly. Oh, how blissful would it have been to be called someone's "love" everyday. He caressed her cheek gently with his glove-less hand and she leaned in to his touch, loving the warmth that it provided. "Christian threatened to kill you, in shackles or not. Quite frankly, he made me go through a proposition. I have to propose to Victoria, _otherwise _he'll hurt you. I didn't have a choice, Elsa. I... I couldn't let him hurt you. Not again and not ever."

"Hans." Elsa whispered before she kissed his nose. "Y-You'd do that for me? But—"

"I'd do anything for you and you know that." Hans murmured helplessly. "But I talked to Victoria before we set sail. Even _she_ was threatened by Christian, and she only began telling me that after she saw us at the docks. Apparently, she knew what she was doing."

"So, you're not engaged anymore?" Elsa arched a brow, causing Hans to nod his confirmation. The queen blew out a sigh of relief. "Oh, wonderful. Because I really needed to do something to you."

"And what would that be?"

The unexpected happened. Elsa slapped him on the right cheek. The queen almost hissed when she felt the impact backfire on her. Now she knew what it was like to slap someone. This action of hers had stirred a couple of reactions from their company. Anna gasped, covering her mouth to keep herself from chortling, a laugh escaped from Kristoff's lips shamelessly and Olaf looked absolutely flabbergasted.

Hans massaged his burning cheek, frowning at the woman before him. "What was that for?"

"_That _is for trying to kill me and my sister!" Elsa fumed.

"But I—" He tried to explain, but another slap interrupted him. "What was that for?!"

"_That _is for attempting to take over Arendelle."

"I thought we've talked about this!"

_Slap._

"Elsa, really?!"

"_That _is for Christian threatening you without telling me."

"How is that even—"

_Slap._

"Good grief, Elsa! Now, what was _that _for?"

"_That _is for my own pleasure."

"What?!"

Elsa raised her right hand and Hans shut his eyes tightly, bracing himself for another blow. But instead, she slipped her right hand around his neck before pulling him down for a searing kiss. The queen sighed when she felt him smile into the kiss.

"Oh, come on!" Kristoff and Anna complained in unison. Those two are quite the pair.

Hans was the first to pull away as he gazes into her eyes. "You are one brazen minx, your highness."

"I know." Elsa smiled proudly. "Thank you for jumping out of that ship for me."

"People always do crazy things... when they're in love." Hans shrugged, a smirk plastered on his face.

"Indeed they do." Elsa brushed her lips against his like a nuzzle. When she had her forehead rested against his, she felt the fear slip away. She knew that this man before her was going to help her control herself. This man, this insane can of crazy for a man; is now the only person other than Anna that will fight her demons with her. The words just rolled off her tongue so naturally that it was impossible to miss. "I love you."

"Okay!" Anna tried to break the couple awkwardly as she put both of her hands on each of the couple's shoulder. "Not to sound like the most horrible person ever on earth, but I just want to remind the two of you that _Prince Charming _here still has a hearing in a couple of days. Not to mention that he'll be a royal adviser for two years and..." The princess looked at the two to and fro awkwardly before her gaze finally landed on her sister. "You do know that, right?"

"Yes, Anna." A laugh escaped Elsa's lips as she patted her sister's hand. "We all know that."

"If it means being with my queen, then who am I to complain?" Hans agrees as he turns to Anna with a feeble smile before turning back to Elsa, who smiled embarrassingly.

Some things just never change.

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_The End_

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_Or so you think it is._

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**AN: **Wow, 9k words for the final chapter. If you're suddenly flabbergasted regarding the last part, then I have achieved my goal in making your jaw drop. Unfortunately, I have two and a half months left before senior graduation. So sadly, I cannot make a sequel out of this. However, I am bound to make a short epilogue which will come out probably by Saturday or Sunday. It'll just give you an overview of what happened to Hans and Christian's hearing and it will show just a lot of Iceburns/Helsa feels.

Alas, the story has ended. Thank you for the amazing support and although I cannot mention everyone who has reviewed and helped me achieve in finishing this, my gratitude is indebted to all of you. This is probably the first time I've ever finished writing a multi-chapter fanfic, so I am really proud of it. Again, thank you so much and stay tuned for the epilogue.

Final reviews are **love **and I'd like to know what you think about the final chapter! ^^

**Thank you and Happy New Year, everyone!**

_Disclamair: I do not own Frozen in any form, shape or matter. All rights go to Disney. The only materials that I own are the characters Prince Anderson, Prince Christian, King Klaus and Queen Victoria as well as the plot/concept for the said fanfiction._

**Love and other emotional feels from the writer,  
EMPG22HoPe**


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